Servings : 15 batata vada
These plump spicy mashed potato fritters coated with a gram flour batter and deep fried have got to be some of the most ultimate comfort foods for me. They are incredibly aromatic and very moreish. You simply can not have just one. Served with dips and chutneys, they make a wonderful evening snack or meal starter. They can be squished between two pieces of mini buns and loaded with chutneys to make an excellent potato sandwich (vada pav).
Ingredients
- 500 gm white potatoes (red potatoes get sticky when mashed)
- 3/4 tsp. salt or to taste
- 1/2 tsp. red chili powder
- 1/4 tsp. turmeric powder
- 1/2 tsp. cumin powder
- 10 curry leaves/limro (chopped)
- 1/4 tsp. garlic paste
- 1 tsp. mustard seeds
- 1 level tsp. tomato paste/puree
- 1 green chili (chopped)
- 1 red chili (chopped)
- 2 tbsp. chopped coriander
- juice of 1 lime (2 tbsp.)
- 1 tbsp. oil
- Oil for deep frying
Batter Ingredients
- 1 cup gram flour
- 1/2 tsp. salt
- 1/4 tsp. red chili powder
- 1/2 cup water (or as needed to form a medium thick batter)
Instructions
Boil the potatoes until tender, then peel and mash them. Set them aside.
In a bowl mix the salt, red chili powder, turmeric, cumin powder and lemon juice.
In a small pan, heat the oil on low and then add the mustard seeds and chopped curry leaves. When they splutter, add the tomato paste, chopped chilies and garlic paste. Stir quickly and turn off heat, then add in the mixture of the remaining ingredients. Give it a quick mix. Pour this aromatic spice mixture into your mashed potatoes. Mix together until evenly combined. Taste and adjust salt/chili if needed.
Shape the mashed potatoes into round balls. Cover and set aside.
Mix the batter ingredients, starting with the dry ones and then gradually adding water and mixing until smooth medium-thick batter is formed.
Heat oil in a deep frying pan or wok. Dip the potato balles in the batter and coat them and then gently lower them into the hot oil. Do a few at a time, do not over-crowd the pot. Fry until the coating is crisp and golden. Remove and drain on paper towels. Repeat until all are done.
Serve with dips/chutneys of your choice. I have served them here with green chutney, tamarind chutney and what I like to call ‘the bomb’.
Enjoy! 🙂
Do you use fresh curry leaves
Do you use fresh curry leaves? Where can I get them from? And is the tomato purée the tune shop one?
Many thanks
Yes I use fresh, I have a
Yes I use fresh, I have a plant. 🙂 You can get these in any indian/asian grocery. Yes the tinned shop tomato puree/paste.
This was so yummy, I just
This was so yummy, I just made these yesterday and my own mint sauce. Just one question, how did you actually dip it in the batter as I found it rather fiddly – would be great if you could upload a picture. And also a couple of the potato cakes collapes in the oil? I look forward to making the other dips once my mini chopper arrives :0)
Thanks for the lovely
Thanks for the lovely feedback. It is a fiddly job yes, but you can dip them with a rounded spoon in the batter. Did you peel the potatoes before boiling? As that would make them absorb a lot of water and they would fall apart when frying. Always boil then peel.
Ahh that makes sense. Will
Ahh that makes sense. Will boil with the peel next time, though only a couple burst, and try with coating with a spoon. X I love your recipes. What should I cook today….
i made them yesterday and it
i made them yesterday and it went good. taste of balls was really awesome, and yeah i also added little cheese which even made them too good to eat. but one thing Fauzia, my balls soaked too much oil and it seemed very oily at the end. How can i avoid that?
Thanks. Did you boil the
Thanks. Did you boil the potatoes with their peels on? Or did you peel then boil?
Ummm, i boiled Potatoes with
Ummm, i boiled Potatoes with their peels on….
Ok that is good, maybe try
Ok that is good, maybe try making sure the oil is hot enough, if the oil is not hot enough they will absorb oil. Then drain them on kitchen towels. 🙂
I made these with the Vada
I made these with the Vada Pav and it was well appreciated by my husband. Thanks!
Hi Fauzia, Thank you so much
Hi Fauzia, Thank you so much for all the recipes. Can i freeze these for later (i mean after fryin)?
Hi, I would not recommend
Hi, I would not recommend freezing potatoes as they tend to release water during thawing. Best to make and serve these fresh.
Asak..Another great recipe
Asak..Another great recipe Fauzia! You’re a Master Chef MashAllah! I’ve tried so many of your recipes and each one was a showstopper. We had these vadas for teatime yday with all your yummy chutneys. Thank you!
Hi fauzia, how can you tell
Hi fauzia, how can you tell if gram flour has expired?
Hi, normally gram flour takes
Hi, normally gram flour takes a really long time to go off if refrigerated. However if it has any insects or has changed colour or has a funky smell, then do not risk using it.
How many potatoes is 500g?
How many potatoes is 500g? approx.?
Around 4-5 medium potatoes.
Around 4-5 medium potatoes.