Meena's Taste Mantra

Batata Vada | Spiced Potato filling Dumplings

Nothing like a hot hot Batada Vada and a cuppa of Masala Tea! This is the most famous Batata Vada which along with fried green chillies is simply divine. The anticipation of the heat from the bite and then the actual hit...to the heat slowly disappearing....its a great experience!

We normally make these once a year....Amma wanted to make these when her friends visited us as they love Batata Vada, Vada Pav....and all the Mumbai Special Street Food! So Appa and I had a rocking time....but relishing these deep fried snacks responsibly!

INGREDIENTS

For Filling

4 Potatoes, medium sized, boiled, peeled and lightly mashed

1 tsp Rai | Mustard Seeds

1 tsp Jeera | Cumin Seeds

2 tsp Urad Dal

1 tsp Haldi | Turmeric Powder

A pinch Hing | Asafoetida Powder

3 Green Chillies, finely chopped

2 cloves Lahsun | Garlic, finely chopped | Optional

1" Adrak | Ginger, finely chopped

12 Kadhi Patta | Curry Leaves

1 tblsp Fresh Dhania | Coriander Leaves, finely chopped

To taste Salt

For Batter

1 1/2 cup Besan | Chick Pea Flour

2 tblsp Rice Flour

1 cup Water

1.4 tsp Haldi | Turmeric Powder
To taste Salt

METHOD

For Filling:

Heat oil in a non stick pan and add rai and urad dal.
When rai start to crackle, add jeera, curry leaves, adrak, chilli, haldi, salt and hing. Saute for a minute on low flame, ensure the spices do not burn. This is the time to add garlic. We do not add them as Amma does not like them..So for the garlic fix, Appa and I stick to the Dry Garlic Chutney!
Add lightly mashed potatoes and mix well.
Once all spices have combined with the potatoes, switch off the flame and keep filling aside to cool.
Once cool, make a lemon size equal portions of the filling. Shape each portion into a ball. Keep aside.

For Batter:

In a mixing bowl, sieve in the besan to ensure no lumps are there.
Add red chilli powder, haldi and salt.
Adding water little by little, gently whisk to make a thick batter. The consistency of batter should be such that on dropping the batter it does not spread. The consistency is important, as only then the filling will be properly coated.

For Vada:

Keep a thick bottomed kadhai with the oil, on a high flame. When the oil is hot, reduce the flame to medium. To check the temperature of oil, drop little batter in the oil and if it floats to the surface with bubbles coming, it is right for frying Vadas.
Dip one flattened potato mix completely into the batter, and slowly release it into the hot oil. You can fry 3 to 4 vadas at one go, depending upon the size of the kadhai and quantity of oil used for frying.
Gently turn the vadas so that they fry uniformly on all sides to a nice golden yellow colour.
Once done, transfer vadas to a tissue paper to drain the excess oil.

For Green Chillies:

Fry the green chillies in the oil and when they are crisp, remove them onto a tissue paper.
Sprinkle a pinch of salt and gently toss the fried chillies.

Serve hot along with fried red chillies, Green Chutney and Tomato Ketchup

We have used:
1. Everest Thikhala Red Chilli Powder
2. Sundrop Heart Oil
3. Tata Salt Lite

About C R Meena

(c) 2014 - 2016, Meena's Taste Mantra is the result of my ardent desire to share my recipes, with all who appreciate and celebrate food. These recipes are as a result of 60 years of cooking experience, influenced by tradition and exposure to various concepts, new recipes/ingredients and a passion for cooking - adapting to healthier alternatives.