I don’t think this recipe needs an introduction. Batata Vada also known as Aloo Bonda or Potato Dumpling is an extremely popular Mumbai street food. It is usually served with chutneys like Green chutney, sweet chutney, dry garlic chutney or coconut chutney or with pav coated with chutneys; called as ‘Vada Pav’.
Batata (means potato) Vada (dumpling) is a fried snack prepared by frying spicy potato mixture balls dipped in gram flour batter. Although it is very easy to prepare; right consistency of batter, temperature of oil and potato mixture make a tasty vada. Generally, every street vendor brings in his own variation like addition of urad dal etc. but the basic recipe remains same.
Here is how I prepare Batata Vada.
Batata Vada (Aloo Bonda or potato dumpling) is a spicy mixture of potato dipped in chikpea batter and fried to a perfection.
- 3 Medium Potatoes boiled and mashed
- 1/2 tsp Mustard Seeds
- 7-8 Curry leaves
- 2 tsp Ginger-chili paste
- 1/4+1/4 tsp Turmeric
- 1-2 Red chili powder
- 1 cup Chickpea flour
- 1/4 cup Coriander leaves chopped
- 1/4 cup Water or as desired
- 4 cups Oil for frying
- Salt as per taste
- 2 tsp Oil for potato mixture
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Boil 3 medium size potatoes, then peel and mash them.
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In a pan, heat 2 tsp of oil. Add mustard seeds. Once they start to crackle, add curry leaves, turmeric and ginger chili paste. Saute.
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Add mashed potatoes and coriander leaves. Mix well and cook for some time. Switch off the gas and keep it aside.
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In a bowl, add chickpea flour, turmeric, chili powder, salt and water. Mix well. Make sure there are no lumps.
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Now make small balls out of the potato mixture prepared above. Slightly flatten them and keep aside.
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Heat oil in a deep kadhai/wok. Pour a spoon of hot oil into the batter. This helps to make vadas crispy.
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Now add a drop of batter into hot oil. If it comes up after 2-3 seconds, desired temperature of oil is reached.
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With the help of spoon or by hand, dip one potato dumpling into the batter and carefully drop it in the hot oil. Add other vadas in a similar way. Fry until golden yellow. Take out on a paper towel.
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Serve vadas as is with chutneys or with pav coated with chutneys. Enjoy yummy vada pav 🙂
- If batter looks too thick, add some water and if batter becomes runny, add little bit of chickpea flour. The key here is to add water in small amount.
- Instead of ginger chili paste, finely chopped green chilies can be added.
- Some people add garlic too which gives variation in the taste.
- Add little bit of rice flour in the batter to make vadas cispy.
Step by Step Recipe of Batata Vada:
Steps to make Potato filling:
- Boil 3 medium sized potatoes. Peel and mash them.
- In a pan, heat 2 tsp oil and add mustard seeds. Once they crackle, add curry leaves, ginger chili paste and turmeric. Saute.
- Add mashed potatoes and coriander leaves. Mix well and cook for some time.
- Switch off the flame and let the mixture cool.
- Make small balls out of the mixture and flatten them a little.
Steps to make batter:
- In a bowl, take 1/2 cup of gram flour (besan).
- Add turmeric, red chili powder, salt.
- Add water little bit at a time and mix well. Make sure there are no lumps.
Steps for frying Vadas:
- Heat oil in a kadhai/wok.
- Add a drop of batter in hot oil. If the batter rises in 2-3 seconds, then the temperature of the oil is perfect.
- Dip the potato balls in the batter and coat them evenly. With the spoon or hand, drop the vadas in the hot oil.
- Deep fry until they become golden yellow.
Enjoy hot vadas with chutneys or pav 🙂
