Dahibara Ghuguni Aludum

Dahibara Ghuguni Aludum is a popular street food from Odisha, featuring soft lentil dumplings (bara) soaked in spiced yogurt, served with curried peas (ghuguni), spicy potato curry (alu dum), and topped with fresh garnishes for a burst of flavor.

Ingredients

For the Bara (Vada)

• 1 cup urad dal
• 1–2 green chilies, chopped
• 1½ cups curd (slightly sour preferred)
• ½ tsp roasted cumin powder
• ⅓ tsp red chili powder
• A pinch of baking powder
• 1 tbsp semolina (suji)
• ⅕ tsp black salt
• Salt to taste
• Oil for deep frying

For Tempering

• Few curry leaves
• 1–2 dry red chilies
• 2 pinches asafoetida
• Mustard and cumin seeds (a few)

For the Alu Dum

• 12–15 baby potatoes (or 1 large potato)
• 3 tsp grated onion
• ½ tsp ginger–garlic paste
• 4–5 cloves
• 1 small bay leaf
• 1 green cardamom
• ⅕ tsp cumin seeds
• 1 tbsp yogurt
• ½ tsp red chili powder
• ⅓ tsp coriander powder
• ⅕ tsp garam masala (optional)
• 1½ tbsp oil

For the Ghuguni

• 1½ cups yellow peas (soaked overnight)
• 1 medium potato
• 1 small tomato
• 1 medium onion
• 1 tsp ginger–garlic paste
• 1 tsp cumin seeds
• ⅓ tsp cumin powder
• ⅓ tsp coriander powder
• ½ tsp chili powder
• ⅕ tsp garam masala powder
• 1 bay leaf
• 2 tsp oil
• 1–2 tsp chopped coriander stems
• ⅓ tsp turmeric powder
• A pinch of baking powder (optional)
• Salt to taste

For Garnishing

• 1 large onion, finely chopped
• ½ bunch coriander leaves, finely chopped
• 5–6 green chilies, finely chopped
• 1 cup thin sev
• Black salt
• Roasted cumin–chili powder

Method

1. Prepare the Bara (Vada)

   • Soak urad dal for 3–4 hours and grind into a smooth paste.
   • Add salt and leave to ferment for 5–6 hours.
   • Mix semolina and baking powder into the batter. Whip lightly to incorporate air.
   • Prepare a curd-water mixture by mixing 2 tsp curd in warm water with a little salt.

2. Prepare the Ghuguni (Curried Peas)

   • Cut onion, tomato, and potato into small pieces.
   • Pressure cook soaked yellow peas with potato cubes until tender.
   • In a pan, sauté onion, tomato, and spices. Add cooked peas and potato, then simmer to form a thick, flavorful curry.

3. Prepare the Alu Dum (Spicy Potato Curry)

   • Boil and peel the baby potatoes (or cut large potato into cubes).
   • Heat oil and add cumin seeds, bay leaf, cloves, and cardamom.
   • Sauté grated onion, then add ginger–garlic paste, yogurt, and spices.
   • Add potatoes and cook until well-coated and flavorful.

4. Fry and Soak the Bara

   • Heat oil in a wok and deep-fry spoonfuls of batter until golden brown.
   • Transfer fried baras into the prepared curd-water mixture and soak for 30 minutes.
   • In a separate bowl, whisk remaining curd with salt, black salt, chili powder, roasted cumin powder, and chopped green chilies. Add water for desired consistency.
   • Transfer soaked baras into this spiced curd mixture.
   • Prepare a tempering with mustard seeds, dry red chilies, curry leaves, and asafoetida. Pour over the baras and let rest for 3–4 hours to absorb flavors.

5. Assemble and Serve

   • Place 2–3 dahibara in a serving bowl.
   • Top with a ladle of ghuguni and a portion of alu dum.
   • Garnish generously with onions, coriander leaves, green chilies, sev, black salt, and roasted cumin–chili powder.