There’s something about keema that makes us want to experiment our hearts out. I remember the last time we got half a kilo of chicken keema, we used the same for our sandwich fillings, parathas, puris, sabzis and more. If you are also even half as obsessed with keema, then you must try the Keema Dahi Bada. The origin of the dish is often debated upon, some say that it happens to be a Rajputana delicacy, that found popularity in Indori kitchens too, and thus the dish came to be associated with Indore and Madhya Pradesh’s royal affair. In Bengali homes too, ‘Keema Doi Bora’ holds a very special place. Legend has it that noble laureate Rabindranath Tagore was quite a fan of the dish and that it was a recurrent feature in the spreads laid out in Thakurbari.
Now for the uninitiated, Dahi Bada is an immensely popular Indian dish where vadas or lentil fritters are slathered over with fresh, whipped curd before they are sprinkled upon with some masalas and often chutneys. The chaat item is so popular that you can find it on streets, parties and even at weddings. Given India’s general love affair with Dahi Badas, it is not surprising how people must have always wanted to experiment with the dish. It is quite a forgiving recipe, after all. In Keema Dahi Vada, you have your curd and the spices, the vadas however, are replaced with small croquettes or vadas made of keema. That’s right, if you identify as hardcore meat-eater you are sure to love this simple recipe. A meaty spin done right, we’d say.
Everything from the flavour to the texture works in favour of the dish. Crisp from outside and soft from inside, the keema vadas are teeming with hot spices that make it a tempting treat inside out. Now imagine a cooling dash of yogurt on top of these spicy mutton vadas? Slurping right? The dish is finished off with chaat masala and tamarind chutney, making it truly eclectic.
While it is a fairly simple recipe, the only task here is to make the vadas. For making the vadas, just take the minced chicken and combine with potatoes, onion, garlic, green chilies, salt and grind in a blender till fine and smooth.
Take the mixture out of the grinder, add salt and spices, except the roasted spices and mix with hands. Prepare the bread crumbs by grinding bread in the grinder and add that to the mixture too. Break an egg in the middle of the mixture and mix again. Now grease your palms and start making small balls. Deep fry them until they are brown and your vadas are ready.
Now just take those vadas and smear it in the tangy yogurt spread made with tamarind chutney, and roasted spices. Garnish with pomegranate seeds and serve.
Why don’t you give it a try today? Here’s the complete recipe.