Homemade Maharashtrian Batata Vada Recipe

wellhealthorganic.com Batata Vada: Batata vada is a delectable fried snack consisting of batter-coated potato stuffed fritter dumplings. Though it requires some time to prepare, the end result is undoubtedly worth the effort. Below, I'm excited to share with you the tantalizing recipe for Maharashtrian-style batata vada.

Batata Vada

• Preparation Time: 20 minutes
• Cooking Time: 25 minutes
• Total Time: 45 minutes
• Cuisine: Indian Street Food, Maharashtrian
• Course: Snacks
• Dietary Preference: Vegan, Vegetarian
• Difficulty: Moderate

Ingredients:

For Pressure Cooking Potatoes:

1. 250 grams potatoes (approximately 4 medium potatoes)
2. 2 cups water
3. For Ginger-Garlic-Green Chilli Paste:
4. 1 to 2 green chilies
5. 1 teaspoon chopped ginger 
6. 1.5 teaspoon chopped garlic or 4 medium garlic cloves
7. 1 to 2 tablespoons water for grinding

For Potato Filling:

1. 2 tablespoons chopped coriander leaves (cilantro leaves)
2. Salt to taste
3. ¼ teaspoon lemon juice
4. ¼ to ½ teaspoon sugar (optional)
5. For Tempering Potato Filling:
6. 1 tablespoon oil
7. ½ teaspoon mustard seeds
8. ½ teaspoon cumin seeds
9. ¼ teaspoon turmeric powder
10. 1 pinch asafoetida (hing)
11. 6 to 7 curry leaves, chopped

For Batata Vada Batter:

1. 1 cup besan (gram flour)
2. ⅓ cup + 1 tablespoon water (adjust as required)
3. ¼ teaspoon turmeric powder
4. ¼ teaspoon red chilli powder
5. ½ teaspoon salt (adjust as required)
6. 1 pinch baking soda
7. Oil for deep frying, as required
8. For Frying Green Chilies:
9. 2 to 3 green chilies
10. 1 to 2 pinches salt

Also Read: Hot And Sour Soup

Instructions:

Pressure Cooking Potatoes:

1. Rinse the potatoes and place them in a 2-liter pressure cooker.
2. Add 2 cups of water and pressure cook for 7 to 8 minutes on medium flame or 5 to 6 whistles.
3. Once pressure is released naturally, remove the lid and let the potatoes cool.
4. Peel and mash the potatoes with a fork, keeping them slightly chunky.

Making Ginger-Garlic-Green Chilli Paste:

1. In a grinder, blend green chilies, chopped ginger, and chopped garlic with water into a smooth paste.

Tempering Potato Filling:

1. Heat oil in a pan, add mustard seeds, let them crackle, then add cumin seeds.
2. Stir in turmeric powder, asafoetida, and the prepared paste.
3. Add chopped curry leaves and sauté until the raw aroma fades.
4. Mix this tempering into the mashed potatoes along with coriander leaves, salt, lemon juice, and sugar (if using). Form medium-sized balls from the mixture.

Making Gram Flour Batter:

1. In a bowl, mix besan with turmeric powder, red chilli powder, salt, and baking soda.
2. Gradually add water to form a medium-thick batter.

Frying Batata Vada:

1. Heat oil in a kadai. Test the oil by dropping a small amount of batter; it should rise gradually.
2. Dip each potato ball into the batter, ensuring even coating, and gently place in hot oil.
3. Fry until both sides turn golden brown, flipping occasionally. Then, remove from the oil and let them drain on paper towels to remove excess oil.

Frying Green Chilies:

1. Fry slit green chilies until lightly crisp. Sprinkle salt and mix well.

Serving:

Serve batata vada hot or warm with fried salted green chilies and chutneys of your choice. They pair well with pav, bread, or burger buns.

Also Read: Kashmiri Pulao

Notes:

• Nutritional information is approximate for 1 batata vada.
• The recipe can be scaled up.
• Adjust spices according to taste preferences.
• Maintain a medium-thick batter consistency for optimal results.
• Fry vadas on medium heat to avoid excess oil absorption or burning.