Healthy Batata Vada (Non-Fried)

Ingredients

For the potato filling

  • 4 medium sized potatoes
  • 10-12 curry leaves
  • 2 tsp skinned spilt urad dal (black gram)
  • 1 tsp mustard seeds
  • 1 green chili, chopped
  • 1.5 tbsp ginger, chopped fine
  • 1 tsp turmeric powder
  • 1/4 tsp asafoetida
  • 2-3 tbsp cilantro/coriander leaves, chopped
  • salt to taste

For the besan (gram flour) batter

  • 1.5 cups gram flour
  • 1/2 tsp turmeric powder
  • pinch chili powder
  • 1 cup water
  • salt to taste

METHOD

Preparing the filling:

  1. Steam the potatoes (with peel) till thoroughly cooked. Then mash them well. There should be no lumps.
  2. Heat a pan. Add urad daal and when it begins to release aroma and brown, add the mustard seeds. When the mustard seeds start crackling, turn off the flame and add the curry leaves, chopped ginger, chopped chili, asafoetida and turmeric and dry roast for a few seconds. Add this to the mashed potatoes. Add salt. Mix together.
  3. Make equal sized medium balls of the potato mixture that will fit into the appam tava, if you are using that.
  4. Keep aside

Preparing the batter:

  1. Mix the ingredients together making a slightly thick batter. Thin batter will not work. Dip each potato patty or ball in the besan batter and coat evenly. Place in the hot appam tawa or in the air fryer. Turn over, once one side has cooked. Serve hot.
  2. Serve with coriander mint chutney and date tamarind chutney.

Serves 4-5