Batata Vada/ Aloo Bonda

It's spring but there is a chill in the air still feels like winter, and I'm craving batata vadas. If I was in Mumbai, I would just step out and get batata vadas at any nook and corner. They taste heavenly with pav a kind of dinner roll, lots of garlic chutney and green chutney. Well I'm not in Mumbai, but in the US of A, and when I get these cravings, what do I do, just prepare them myself.

2 medium potatoes

1 tbsp cilantro leaves

1 tsp lime juice

salt to taste

oil for frying

Grind to a coarse paste

1/4 inch piece ginger

1 clove garlic

3 green chillies

2 tbsp cilantro leaves

For the Tadka

1 tsp oil

1 tsp mustard seeds

1/4 tsp udad dal

1/4 tsp hing

1/2 tsp turmeric

For the Batter

1/2 cup besan

1/4 cup rice flour

1/2 tsp chilli pwd

1/4 tsp hing

1/2 tsp salt

a pinch of soda bicarb

Boil the potatoes. Peel them and break them into medium chunks.

Heat oil for the tadka, add mustard seeds, once they splutter add udad dal, hing and turmeric.

Add the paste, saute for a minute add the potatoes, stir well add salt to taste.

Once everything is blended add cilantro leaves and lime juice.

Remove from heat and let it cool.

Then make into 2 inch balls, it makes about 12 vadas.

Heat oil for frying.

Then make the batter, mix the besan, rice flour, salt, chilli powder, hing, salt, and a pinch of soda bicarb.

Add water to make a batter, it should not be too thick or too watery.

Once the oil is hot, dip the vadas in the batter and drop them carefully a few at a time.

Fry these till golden brown and crisp.

Serve hot with green chutney or ketchup.