Batata vada

Ingredients

Filling

• 6-8 medium sized boiled potatoes
• pav ( A kind of bun, In India it is known as Pav) - If pavs are not available, you can use any other bun. Pick the unsweetened and rough rolls.

Masala

• 1 small piece ginger,
• 4-5 flakes garlic, 
• 4-5 (or more) green chilies,
• 1/2 cup cilantro/coriander leaves (chopped),

Tempering

• 1 teaspoon turmeric powder,
• 8-10 curry leaves,
• 2 teaspoon mustard seeds,
• 1/4 tsp asafoetida,
• 1 tbsp oil

Cover

• 2 cups gram flour (besan),
• approx. 1 cup water,
• 1 tsp turmeric powder,
• 1 tsp chili powder(optional),
• salt to taste
• oil for frying

Method

1. Grind ginger, garlic and green chilies together into a paste.
2. Peel and mash potatoes with a potato masher (or simply use hands). Do not mash completely. Let some small chunks remain.
3. Add ginger, garlic and green chili paste, coriander leaves, and salt to the potatoes.
4. Put 1 tbsp oil in a pan/kadai. Add mustard seeds. When they splutter, add turmeric powder and curry leaves. Pour this tempering over the mashed potatoes and mix gently.
5. Make small balls of mashed potato mixture. (You can flatten the balls if you like)
6. Add some salt, turmeric powder and chili powder to the gram flour. Add water gradually and keep mixing with a spoon or wire whisk. Remove lumps if any. The batter should not be too watery or too thick. If lifted by a spatula, it should flow in a ribbon like consistency.
7. Heat some oil in a pan. To check if oil is heated enough, drop some batter in the oil. If the batter immediately floats on the surface of the oil, the oil is ready. Also make sure that the oil is not too hot. Else, the vadas turn dark from the outside before they are actually done from the inside.
8. Now dip each ball in the batter, letting the excess batter drip off and slowly add to the hot oil. Do not overcrowd the pan, or the temperature of the oil reduces which in turn slows down the frying process. Like this, fry all the vadas until golden. Remove on a paper towel and drain. Batata Vadas are ready.
9. For Vada Pav, split Pav keeping the base intact and spread green chutney inside it. Place the vada in it. Serve hot.