Bateta Vada or Spicy Fried Potato Balls is a very popular snack in India. It's spicy, tasty and so versatile that you can even use it a filling for sandwiches (Vada Pav).
This Bateta Vada recipe is a combination of the best tips from my mother-in-law and two of my aunts, so you can be sure they are amazing! Really, try it for yourself and see! Enjoy!
Bateta Vada Recipe Cooking Time: 1 Hour (Approx)
Makes About 40 Balls
INGREDIENTS
Potato Filling:
6 Medium White Potatoes (900g - 1kg)
1 tsp. Ginger-Garlic-Chili Paste
1/4 tsp. Cinnamon Powder
Pinch of Clove Powder
2 3/4 tspn Salt
1 ½ tsp. Sugar
3 Tbsp. Chopped Fresh Coriander
3 Tbsp. Finely Chopped Onion
3 Tbspn Fresh Lemon Juice
A Handful of Cashews, Peanuts, Sultanas cut into 2-3 pieces (Optional)
Tempering:
2 tbs Oil
1 tsp. Mustard Seeds
1 tsp. Sesame Seeds
½ tsp. Hing (Asafoetida)
Batter:
200g (2 Cups) Chick Pea Flour
4 Tbsp. Rice Flour
2 tspn Red Chili Powder
1/4 tspn Sugar
1 tspn Salt
1 Tspn Chopped Coriander
1/2 tspn Lemon Juice
400 ml Tap Water to mix
2 tsp. Hot Oil (from frying)
METHOD
Peel the potatoes and wash them. Then slice them into about 3/4cm thick slices.
Place them in a pan of water to boil. Cook them uncovered until they break easily with a knife.
Then drain them to remove ALL the water and let them cool a little so it’s easier to handle.
Mash the potatoes using a potato ricer or a potato masher. Make sure the mashed potato is smooth but don’t over mash as this will make them sticky.
To get the tempering ready, heat the oil in a small saucepan, Then add the mustard seeds and let them pop. When you hear plenty of popping, add the sesame seeds and the hing (asafoetida) and then the cashews/peanuts/sultanas. Let them fry a little.
Note: If you don’t like raw onions, you can add them in the oil at this time so they cook a little. I prefer the flavour and crunch of raw onions.
Pour the tempering over the mashed potatoes.
Add the remaining ingredients for the filling and mix with a spoon so you don’t burn yourself. Once the oil is mixed in with the potato, you can mix it with your hand but DO NOT over-mix.
Make the balls using a small ice cream scoop or a tablespoon. The ball size should be about 1" in diameter. Try to make all the balls the same size.
Heat up some oil in a pan for deep frying the potato balls. Fill the pan so the oil sits about 1" deep. The heat should be on a medium heat.
Mean while, prepare the batter ingredients and mix it with a hand whisk to make sure sure you don’t have any lumps.
Add about 2 tspn hot oil and mix it into the batter.
Then dip a few balls into the batter and turn them to ensure they are completely coated with the batter.
Place them into the hot oil.
Make sure they don’t touch, otherwise the batter will stick together and your potato filling will leak as you try to separate the balls. If this happens, remove the balls from the oil and sieve out the debris in the oil.
Fry the potato balls until they are golden. Remove them to a tray lined with paper towels and newspaper underneath. Continue frying all the balls.
You will most likely have some batter leftover. This is intentional as onion bhajia are a tasty treat in addition to the bateta vada.
You can dip other vegetables in the batter if you wish, such as sliced aubergine, courgette, potatoes or chillies too.
For frying these items, add about 1 1/2 TBSPN coarse semolina to the batter and a little garam masala if you wish.
Then dip your vegetables in the batter and fry them until they are golden brown.
Enjoy these tasty bhajia with my Coriander Chutney and Fresh Tomato Chutney! Enjoy!
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