Mumbai Batata Vada

Mumbai Batata Vada

A very popular Mumbai snack !! Recipe adapted From Vimla Patil & Femina.

Makes: 8

Ingredients

For batata (potato) vada:

1 tablespoon oil

1 teaspoon mustard seeds

1 green chilli, finely chopped (1 big size or 2 small size)

1 – inch piece ginger, finely chopped

4 curry leaves, chopped

½ teaspoon turmeric powder

2 pinches hing (asafoetida)

3 medium size potatoes or 4 small size (310 g net weight), boiled and mashed

½ teaspoon salt (or to taste)

1 tablespoon chopped coriander leaves

1 teaspoon lemon juice

Method

In a pan / kadai, heat oil. Add mustard seeds. When they crackle, add chopped green chilli, ginger and curry leaves. Fry on a low heat for 2 – 3 minutes or until fragrant.

Add turmeric powder and hing. Stir well on a low heat.

Add boiled and mashed potatoes and salt to taste. Mix all the ingredients well. Do not add water when cooking. Cover with a tight lid and cook on a low heat for 10 minutes. Switch off the heat. Finally, add chopped coriander leaves and lemon juice. Mix well. Keep aside to cool for 15 minutes.

Divide potato mixture into 8 parts and make 8 round balls (each ball weighs 38 g).

For batter :

½ cup (standard measuring cup of 100 ml / 4 oz capacity) gram flour ( besan / kadala maav / chone pitti )

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon red chilli powder

1/4 teaspoon turmeric powder

½ teaspoon coriander powder

½ teaspoon jeera powder (cumin powder)

Water for mixing ( approximately 60 – 80 ml )

To prepare batter :

Mix gram flour, salt, red chilli powder, turmeric powder, coriander powder and jeera powder. Add water and make a batter of pouring / dropping consistency. Keep aside for 15 minutes.

Final preparation of batata vada:

Heat oil in a frying pan. Reduce the heat to medium and wait for 2 minutes (or the vada will brown immediately. ) Dip each batata / potato balls in besan batter and deep fry in medium hot oil (4- 5 bondas at a time) till golden color on both the sides. Drain and place on kitchen paper to absorb excess oil and serve hot with Dry Maharashtrian garlic chutney or with sweet & sour chutney or you can use this vada to make Vada Pav.

Maharashtrian Dry Garlic Chutney

A traditional Maharashtrian recipe. Dry coconut imparts a nutty and oily taste to the chutney. This chutney is also popularly known as vada pav chutney. Recipe adapted from Tarla Dalal.

Ingredients

1/3 cup (55 g) garlic (lehsun) cloves, peeled

1/4 cup (27 g) grated dry coconut (kopra)

2 tablespoons chilli powder

1/2 teaspoon salt (or to taste)

1 teaspoon oil

Method

Heat the oil in a pan / kadai and sauté the garlic and coconut for 2 to 3 minutes over a medium flame.

Cool, combine all the ingredients in a blender and grind till it is a smooth paste. Serve with Rice / Rotis / Vada Pav.