Batata vada (Bhindi vada in Hindi) is a popular Indian snack that is incredibly delicious!
It’s made with mashed potatoes that are mixed with spices and herbs, then coated in a chickpea flour batter and deep-fried to perfection.
The result is a perfectly crispy, savory snack that is a favorite among Indians and food lovers alike.
The ingredients for this recipe are simple and straightforward.
However, it is recommended that you use only hand-picked potatoes when making the masala.
This is because the potatoes need to be sliced into thin strips before they’re cooked.
What ingredients are needed for a batata vada recipe?
There are many different varieties of potato available, but the ones you need for this recipe include:
- Yukon Gold potatoes or any other variety that is cold-climate.
- This is because the potatoes need to be kept at room temperature before they’re used.
- Potatoes that are suitable for deep-frying.
- A middling potato is a good one to start with as nearly all of them weigh between 1/2 and 3/4 pound.
- Potatoes must be cooked in plenty of room-temperature water and salted very lightly in order to make them more palatable.
How long does it take to prepare a batata vada?
It is fairly simple to make batata vada.
However, it does take a bit of time since you need to boil the potatoes and fry them before you can assemble the masala and deep-fry them.
You will probably want to make a batch of this snack for your family and for your friends!
What is the traditional way to prepare a batata vada?
First, take a large pot, fill it with water, then add sliced potatoes.
Bring them to a boil and cook until soft.
While the potatoes are cooking, in a separate vessel, add the milk, turmeric powder and salt.
Stir until the milk is completely dissolved and give it a good stir.
Then add chickpea flour to mix well.
Make sure you mix well before adding this mixture to the potatoes.
Stir continuously while mixing the batter along with the potato mixture.
Once the batter looks homogenous, cover with a lid and let it cook in a low flame for about 2 hours.
Check if the batter is ready by trying to separate some batter from its bowl.
How do you serve a batata vada?
Batata vada is meant to be eaten with curd.
(Curd is thick, curdled milk.) However, there are other options such as sambhar and chutney.
- Sambar: This is a spicy and tangy stew made with tamarind, tomato, and coriander.
- It’s a popular dish in southern India but can also be found in North India.
- Chutney: A condiment meant to enhance the flavor of food or used as a dipping sauce.
What other recipes can be made using batata vada?
As mentioned above, batata vada is a popular Indian snack that is incredibly delicious!
It’s made with mashed potatoes that are mixed with spices and herbs, then coated in a chickpea flour batter and deep-fried to perfection.
This recipe can be used to make other amazing recipes as well.
Some suggested recipes include:
- Pav Bhaji (see below)
- Phulka (see below)
- Batata vada puree (see below)
Are there any substitutes for the ingredients in a batata vada recipe?
When making this recipe, you’re going to need the following ingredients:
- Potatoes
- Paprika
- Onion
- Turmeric powder
You can also use a few other spices if you want to make some variations.
Garlic, ginger and green chili powder are other spices that you can incorporate into this recipe.
How do you store a batata vada?
Batata vada, similar to other potato dishes, needs to be stored in an airtight container and refrigerated for up to 2 days.
If you’d like to prepare it ahead of time, try freezing it until you’re ready to reheat.
Are there any variations to the traditional recipe of batata vada?
There are many variations of batata vada and each one is unique to its own individual taste.
One of the most popular variations is vada pav, a dish that uses mashed potato instead of the traditional masala.
Vada pav uses a thicker chickpea batter, which is mixed with potatoes in equal parts.
The potato mixture is then mixed with spices, deep-fried and served with curd.
This dish is quite similar to batata vada, but it has a milder flavor profile.
It’s typically eaten during festivals in India and is usually garnished with chutneys.
What type of oil is used in a batata vada recipe?
The traditional recipe calls for only ghee, but you can use any other oil if you prefer.
Vegetable oil, sunflower oil or even olive oil would work just fine.
Is it possible to make a vegan version of batata vada?
According to a poll done by the Indian Institute of Technology, there are more than 6.6 million Hindus and 1.9 million Jains in India, who do not eat meat or do not eat eggs and dairy products.
Most Indians do not eat eggs or dairy products.
In order to make the batter for batata vada vegan, we need to change the recipe ingredients to make the batter egg- and dairy-free.
We start with twice as much chickpea flour as normal.
When you mix it with water, the batter will be very runny and will easily coat the potatoes without leaving any lumps behind.
We also include a teaspoon or two of raw rice flour instead of cooked rice flour.
This is because rice flour has a higher starch content which makes it thicker and coating the potatoes better.
Equipment
- pressure cooker
Ingredients
For Pressure Cooking Potatoes
- 250 grams potatoes
- 2 cups water
For Ginger-Garlic-Green Chilli Paste
- 2 green chilies
- 1 teaspoon ginger chopped
- 4 medium garlic cloves
- 2 tablespoons water for grinding
For Potato Filling
- 2 tablespoon coriander leaves chopped
- salt as required
- ¼ teaspoon lemon juice
- ½ teaspoon sugar – optional
For Tempering Potato Filling
- 1 tablespoon oil
- ½ teaspoon mustard seeds
- ½ teaspoon cumin seeds
- ¼ teaspoon turmeric powder
- 1 pinch asafoetida hing
- 7 curry leaves – chopped
For Batata Vada Batter
- 1 cup besan gram flour
- ⅓ cup water or add as required
- ¼ teaspoon turmeric powder
- ¼ teaspoon red chilli powder
- ½ teaspoon salt or add as required
- 1 pinch baking soda
- oil for deep frying as required
For Frying Green Chilies
- 3 green chilies
- 2 pinches salt
Instructions
Pressure Cooking Potatoes
- In a 2 litre pressure cooker, rinse and add 250 grams potatoes or 4 medium potatoes. Add 2 cups of water as well.
- Cook for 7 to 8 minutes on medium heat, or until 5 to 6 whistles.
- Remove the lid when the pressure drops on its own. The potatoes must be thoroughly cooked. Remove the potatoes and set them aside to warm up.
- Peel and mash the potatoes with a fork or potato masher once they are warm. Don’t mash the potatoes too much.
- To the mashed potatoes, add 2 tablespoons chopped coriander leaves and salt to taste.
Making a Green Chili, Garlic, and Ginger Paste
- 2 chopped green chilies, 1 teaspoon chopped ginger, and 1.5 teaspoon chopped garlic in a small grinder. Adding more green chilies will make it more spicy.
- Add 2 tablespoons water and blend until smooth.
- Crush the ginger, garlic, and green chilies with a mortar and pestle. There is no need to add water when crushing in a mortar and pestle. Set aside.
For Tempering Potato Filling
- In a small saucepan, heat 1 tablespoon oil. Maintain a low flame. Allow 12 teaspoon mustard seeds to crackle and pop. Use any oil with a neutral flavor.
- When the mustard seeds start to crackle, add 12 teaspoon cumin seeds.
- Fry for a few seconds, or until the cumin seeds turn color and crackle.
- 14 teaspoon turmeric powder and 1 pinch asafoetida are recommended. Give it a quick stir.
- Now stir in the ginger, garlic, and green chili paste. Be careful because the paste will sputter. Stir and mix.
- After that, add 6 to 7 chopped curry leaves.
- Sauté the paste for a few seconds on a low flame, until the raw ginger and garlic aromas have faded.
- Add the entire sautéed mixture to the mashed potatoes at this point. Combine thoroughly.
Creating a Potato Filling
- 14 teaspoon lemon juice and 14 to 12 teaspoon sugar are recommended.
- Sugar is optional and can be left out.
- Mix thoroughly. Taste it and add more salt if necessary.
- Then, using the potato mixture, form medium-sized balls. Flatten the potato balls slightly to make it easier to fry the vadas. Set aside.
How to Make Gram Flour Batter
- In a separate bowl, combine 1 cup besan (gram flour), 14 teaspoon turmeric powder, 14 teaspoon red chili powder, 1 pinch baking soda, and 12 teaspoon salt (or to taste).
- To make the batter, use chickpea flour instead of gram flour.
- Partially add 13 cup + 1 tablespoon water. Begin whisking.
- Whisk in small amounts of water to make a smooth batter. Make a medium-dense batter. Set aside.
Batata Vada Fry
- In a kadai or wok, heat the oil for deep frying. Maintain a medium flame. Use your favorite neutral-flavored, high-smoking-point oil.
- When the oil in the pan is hot, carefully remove 14 to 12 teaspoon of it with a long spoon and add it to the batter. Mix thoroughly.
- Test a small amount of batter in the oil; it should rise gradually and steadily to the top. The oil is now ready for frying the batata vada. Maintain a medium-low or medium flame.
- Dip each potato vada in the besan batter.
- Gently coat it all over with the batter.
- Then, carefully place the battered potato vada in the hot oil.
- Avoid overcrowding the kadai. Depending on the size of the kadai, add them. Fry over medium heat.
- Turn each batata vada with a slotted spoon when one side becomes opaque, firm, lightly crisp, and light golden. Fry the second side as well.
- Turn them again when the second side is light golden.
- Turn them a couple of times this way until they are golden. Drain as much oil as possible with a slotted spoon.
- Place them on a kitchen towel. Fry the remaining batches of batata vada in this manner.
Green Chilies Fry
- Fry 2 to 3 green chilies in the same oil. Slit each green chili before frying to prevent them from bursting in the hot oil.
- Fry the green chilies until they are lightly crisp.
- Place on kitchen paper towels to dry.
- When the green chilies are warm, sprinkle them with salt. Combine the salt and green chilies.
- With the fried salted green chilies, sweet tamarind chutney, coconut chutney, and coriander chutney, serve the batata vada hot or warm.
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My blog is all about creating delicious meals with ingredients that are easy to find in your local grocery store. I’m passionate about making yummy meals that I can share with my friends and family.