Batata vada
Encyclopedia
Batata Vada is a popular India
n vegetarian fast food
in Maharashtra
, India
. It literally means potato fritters. The name "Batata" means potato in English. It consists of a potato
mash patty
coated with chick pea flour, then deep-fried and served hot with savory condiment
s called Chutney
. The vada is a sphere, around two or three inches in diameter.
Although Maharashtrian
in origin, Batata Vada is gaining popularity in the rest of India as well.
The potatoes are boiled, mashed coarsely and kept aside. Vegetable oil is heated in a pan and ingredients like asafoetida
, mustard seed
s, chillies, onions, curry leaves are added and fried for a couple of minutes till onions are translucent. Then, ginger-garlic paste, turmeric
, salt are added and fried for a few seconds. The mashed potatoes are then added to this mixture and cooked further for a few minutes.
A thick batter is made using chick pea flour, seasoned with salt, turmeric and red chilli powder. Sometimes baking soda is also added in a small quantity to make the batter fluffier. To make the fritters, little balls of the potato mixture is coated in the batter and deep-fried in a couple inches of hot vegetable oil.
s of various types. The most common way to eat it though is in form of Vada pav
.
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
n vegetarian fast food
Fast food
Fast food is the term given to food that can be prepared and served very quickly. While any meal with low preparation time can be considered to be fast food, typically the term refers to food sold in a restaurant or store with preheated or precooked ingredients, and served to the customer in a...
in Maharashtra
Maharashtra
Maharashtra is a state located in India. It is the second most populous after Uttar Pradesh and third largest state by area in India...
, India
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
. It literally means potato fritters. The name "Batata" means potato in English. It consists of a potato
Potato
The potato is a starchy, tuberous crop from the perennial Solanum tuberosum of the Solanaceae family . The word potato may refer to the plant itself as well as the edible tuber. In the region of the Andes, there are some other closely related cultivated potato species...
mash patty
Patty
A patty is a flattened cake, often of meat.Patty may also refer to:* Patty , a family name* Patricia, a female given name, in all forms of English* Patrick , a male given name, in Australian English and Hiberno-English...
coated with chick pea flour, then deep-fried and served hot with savory condiment
Condiment
A condiment is an edible substance, such as sauce or seasoning, added to food to impart a particular flavor, enhance its flavor, or in some cultures, to complement the dish. Many condiments are available packaged in single-serving sachets , like mustard or ketchup, particularly when supplied with...
s called Chutney
Chutney
Chutney is a a condiment used in South Asian cuisine that usually contains a spice and vegetable mix.Chutneys are wet or dry, having a coarse to fine texture. The Anglo-Indian loan word refers to fresh and pickled preparations indiscriminately, with preserves often sweetened. At least several...
. The vada is a sphere, around two or three inches in diameter.
Although Maharashtrian
Marathi people
The Marathi people or Maharashtrians are an Indo-Aryan ethnic group, that inhabit the Maharashtra region and state of western India. Their language Marathi is part of the southern group of Indo-Aryan languages...
in origin, Batata Vada is gaining popularity in the rest of India as well.
Preparation
The potato filling and the batter used to coat the filling are the only two components of batata vada.The potatoes are boiled, mashed coarsely and kept aside. Vegetable oil is heated in a pan and ingredients like asafoetida
Asafoetida
Asafoetida , alternative spelling asafetida, is the dried latex exuded from the living underground rhizome or tap root of several species of Ferula, which is a perennial herb...
, mustard seed
Mustard seed
Mustard seeds are the small round seeds of various mustard plants. The seeds are usually about 1 or 2 mm in diameter. Mustard seeds may be colored from yellowish white to black. They are important spices in many regional foods. The seeds can come from three different plants: black mustard , brown...
s, chillies, onions, curry leaves are added and fried for a couple of minutes till onions are translucent. Then, ginger-garlic paste, turmeric
Turmeric
Turmeric is a rhizomatous herbaceous perennial plant of the ginger family, Zingiberaceae. It is native to tropical South Asia and needs temperatures between 20 °C and 30 °C and a considerable amount of annual rainfall to thrive...
, salt are added and fried for a few seconds. The mashed potatoes are then added to this mixture and cooked further for a few minutes.
A thick batter is made using chick pea flour, seasoned with salt, turmeric and red chilli powder. Sometimes baking soda is also added in a small quantity to make the batter fluffier. To make the fritters, little balls of the potato mixture is coated in the batter and deep-fried in a couple inches of hot vegetable oil.
Serving
Batata vada is typically served very hot with green chillies and chutneyChutney
Chutney is a a condiment used in South Asian cuisine that usually contains a spice and vegetable mix.Chutneys are wet or dry, having a coarse to fine texture. The Anglo-Indian loan word refers to fresh and pickled preparations indiscriminately, with preserves often sweetened. At least several...
s of various types. The most common way to eat it though is in form of Vada pav
Vada pav
Vada pav , sometimes spelled wada pav, is a popular vegetarian fast food dish native to the Indian state of Maharashtra. It consists of a batata vada sandwiched between 2 slices of a pav. The compound word batata vada refers in Marathi to a vada made out of batata, the latter referring to a potato...
.