Batata Vada also known as aloo bonda, deep fried savory appetizer made with spicy potato mix. When they are serve hot they are crispy outside and soft inside. This is a very popular street food in Mumbai.
Serves 3
Ingredients:
- 3 medium potatoes boiled peeled and roughly chopped (this will make 2 cups of chopped potatoes)
- 1 tablespoon oil
- 1/2 teaspoon black mustard seeds (rai)
- 7-10 curry leaves chopped, optional
- 1/4 teaspoon turmeric (haldi)
- 1 tablespoon finely chopped ginger
- 1 green chili finely chopped adjust to taste
- 2 tablespoons chopped cilantro (hara dhania)
- 1/2 teaspoon salt adjust to taste
For Batter
- 1/2 cup besan, gram flour (available in Indian grocery stores)
- 1 tablespoon rice flour
- 1/8 teaspoon asafetida (hing)
- 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/4 teaspoon red pepper
- 1/2 teaspoon salt adjust to taste
- About 1/4 cup of water
- Oil to fry
Method
Batter
- In a bowl mix besan, rice flour, salt, asafetida, pepper, and baking powder. Add water slowly to make a thick and smooth batter. Set aside.
Vada
- Heat oil in a frying pan on medium heat moderately.
- Add mustard seeds as the seeds crack add curry leaves, (curry leaves splatters) potatoes, ginger, green chili, turmeric, and salt.
- Stir fry for about 3 minutes over medium heat. Add cilantro mix it well. Turn of the heat.
- Let the potato mix cool off, divide them into about 12 pieces and make them into smooth round ball, they will be little smaller then golf ball.
- Heat about 1”of oil in a frying pan on medium high heat. To check if the oil is ready, put one drop of batter in oil. The batter should come up but not change color right away.
- Dip the potato balls into the batter one at a time, making sure the potato balls are completely covered with batter. Then, slowly drop them into the frying pan.
- Turn them occasionally. Fry the batata vadas until all sides are golden-brown.
- Batata vadas will take about four minutes to cook.
- Serve them hot with cilantro chutney.
Variations
Serve them with sandwich buns using cilantro chutney as spread. Now this is known as Vada pav, another famous street food in Mumbai.
Hi Manjula…I love ur recipes and have tried many..thanks a lot..Wanted to know if it’s necessary to add red pepper?
Sonia, pepper is really up to you,
Thank u fr the batata vada i lost the recipe but now can make it.
Thank u I love all that u teach, I wish u much luck always.
Samina, Thank you
I m from pakistan
i really loved ur cooking mam
i have tried many things from ur recipes
Thnx a lot
Good one. A dash of lemon juice would have given a slightly tangy taste
Wow…..very tasty….although I did not manage to get the hing.
Thank you for sharing…..
Hi Manjula
Thank you for the yummy recipes. Certainly going to try this one. Have made it before but did not use the baking powder and mine was slightly different.
But in Mumbai we use little crushed garlic also in potatoes mixture u try nd taste the diffrence
Manjula:
I am from Karachi, Pakistan. These Alo Vada are a popular late evening road side treats.
some come with a filling inside, a tangy tasting feeling engulfs the mouth. What should that be ?
This recipe is good! I made the double quantity yesterday and they went very fast. We loved them. Fortunately I was able to get fresh curry leaves for the first time here in Amsterdam (Netherlands). They really taste and smell much better than the dried ones I usually bought. I also made the cilantro chutney which is the perfect finishing touch. Although delicious already, is there a way to increase crispyness, Manjula?
Thanks for your great website! Peter
February 18, 2014 at 11:09 pm
Manjula , it has not been changed from baking powder to soda… I just checked the comments otherwise would have got baking powder as i didnt see the video
Batter
In a bowl mix besan, rice flour, salt, asafetida, pepper, and baking powder. Add water slowly to make a thick and smooth batter. Set aside.
hi manjula, i’m dying to try out your recipe but can i change besan into another kind of flour?
because i can’t find it everywhere in my town
thank you so much
Marsya,
Besan provides a very different texture and flavor, may be you can buy from Amazon otherwise make a batter with all purpose flour and corn flour.
Hi marsya
I once made a mistake. I used yellow corn flour( not sure if u can find that) instead of besan because of the colour. It turned out fine. It actually was a blessing because one of my guests who was allergic. To besan could actually eat this and she loved it
This is very tempting Manjula Ji. Thanks for sharing.
Hi Manjula,
They look so yummy – I watched your video and would love to make them.
Your video says to use “baking soda” – the recipe says to use “baking powder” – I’m guessing the baking soda is the correct ingredient?
MANJULA –
I was hoping you would reply to my question above – is the correct ingredient for the batter Baking Soda or Baking Powder.
If it’s Baking Soda, it needs to be changed in the recipe.
Thank you,
Barbara
Barbara,
Thank you for letting me know it should be baking soda, I will change in recipe