Bataka Vada
Prep time:
Cook time:
Total time:
Serves: 8
Bataka (potato) Vada (friiters)
Ingredients
- 3 medium to large russet or Idaho potatoes
- 2 jalapeno or serrano chilies, finely minced
- 1 inch piece of ginger, finely minced
- 3 tablespoons chopped cilantro
- ½ teaspoon chili powder (optional)
- ¼ teaspoon garam masala
- ⅛ teaspoon ground cloves
- ⅛ teaspoon asafetida
- 2 teaspoons salt or to taste
- 3 teaspoons sugar or to taste
- Juice of 1 lemon
Batter:
- 1 ½ cups chickpea flour
- 1 teaspoon salt or to taste
- ¼ teaspoon turmeric
- ½ teaspoon red chili powder
- Pinch of asafetida
- Water as needed
Canola or Vegetable oil for frying
Directions
- Combine chickpea flour, spices and salt in a medium sized mixing bowl. Make a batter (slightly thinner than pancake batter) with water. Let it stand for 20 to 30 minutes.
- Cut potatoes in half and boil them with skin until fork tender, 15 to 20 minutes. Peel potatoes while they are still warm. Immediately mash potatoes with a ricer or masher in a large mixing bowl. Season mashed potatoes with salt, sugar, lemon juice, dry spices, chilies, ginger and cilantro. Mix everything well. Foam into 24 to 25 golf ball sized balls by hand or with a small ice cream scoop.
- In a frying pan, heat oil until ready for frying. Dip potato balls (bataka vada) one by one into batter, covering the entire surface. Let the excess batter drip, drop it in hot oil and fry it until light golden brown, about 3 to 4 minutes. You can fry 6 to 7 bataka vada at a time depending on the size of frying pan. Serve warm with cilantro chutney or ketchup or tamarind date chutney. Can be served as an appetizer or horsd'oeuvres.