I'm interested in making dahi vada, but the recipes I've seen vary on how long to soak the urad dal. Some say no more than 30-45 minutes, while others say to soak for at least 2 hours or even longer.

Can anyone help clear this up for me?

The urad dal I have looks like it's broken into pieces.

Thanks!

I soak the dal for longer, so it is soft to grind. See here;

Vada

If you are in a hurry, you could try soaking for less, but the dal should be soft.

My mum used to make vadas from unwashed urad and mung dal (split lentil), soak overnight and then wash in the morning.

Vadas can be made from other dals and even bread, if you are in a hurry. See other vada recipes on this website.

Thanks so much!