Batata Vada or Fried Potato Dumplings is a simple and easy-to-make, spicy, and delicious Indian snack or street food prepared using potatoes and aromatic spices in less than 30 minutes. This potato recipe is gluten-free and vegan.
What is Batata Vada or Aloo Bonda?
Batata vada is popular Indian vegetarian fast food or street food specially in Maharashtra (Mumbai) and Gujarat. Batata means potatoes and vada means fritter. It is nothing but mashed potato patty coated in chickpea flour batter and then deep fried.
Other names for batata vada are Aloo Bonda, Aloo Vada, Batata Bonda, Batata Vada, Potato Bonda, Potato Vada. This is also called batate ambado in Konkani, coastal Karnataka. Konkanis generally prepare this as a breakfast or tea time snack during festivals (without garlic) and other occasions (with garlic) such as birthday parties, engagements etc.
I like both versions, but I have observed that when garlic is added it enhances the taste of this snack. Again different regions have their own variations, but this recipe below is one of our family's favorite.
This can be served alone with cup of hot tea or coffee or with a dip such as tomato ketchup or any chutney of your choice. Also you can prepare khara boondi with left over batter 🙂 Some chutneys that can be served with this are green coconut chutney, mint chutney, dates chutney
In my next blog post I will show how we can use these batata vadas to make a yummy street snack Vada Pav - Indian burger or slider. Do check this build-on recipe!
Preparation time : 30 minutes
Serves : 9 to 10 vada / ambade / bonda depending on size
Ingredients for Batata Vada or Aloo Bonda
For the batter :
Chickpea flour / Besan - ½ cup
Red chile powder - ½ tsp
Cumin seeds - 1 tsp
Turmeric powder- ¼ tsp
Asafoetida / Hing - Pinch
Salt - to taste
Rice flour - 2 to 3 tablespoon ( optional)
For the filling:
Medium potatoes - 2
Green chilies finely chopped - 2
Ginger grated - 1 tbsp
Coriander leaves / Cilantro finely chopped - 2 to 3 tbsp
Mustard seeds - 1 tsp
Urad dal - 1 tsp
Garlic cloves finely chopped - 3 (optional)
Asafoetida / Hing - small pinch
Turmeric powder - pinch
Curry leaves - 1 sprig, finely chopped
Salt - to taste
Vegetable Oil - 1 teaspoon + for frying
How to make the best batata vada at home?
Step I (Prepare the filling)
- Peel the skin of potatoes, cut them into cubes and wash them.
- Cook the potatoes in any way desired but make sure they are just firm and not mushy. I have just sprinkled water, covered with lid and microwaved the potatoes for 5 minutes.
- Alternatively, you can cook potato cubes in boiling water for 15 to 20 minutes or pressure cook it for 2 whistles or cook even in steamer or pot.
- In a small pan, heat oil on medium to low flame. Add mustard seeds, and when they start to splutter add urad dal, garlic cloves (skip if you are preparing on vrat days) and hing and sauté till the raw smell of garlic goes off (about 1 minute) and urad dal becomes light in color.. Next add turmeric powder, curry leaves and saute for another few seconds.
- Mash the cooked potatoes. To this add green chilies, ginger, coriander leaves, salt and sautéed ingredients prepared above and mix well.
- Divide this into 9 or 10 portions or to desired size bonda or vada and make balls out of it.
Step II (Prepare the batter)
- In a bowl, add chickpea flour, red chilli powder, cumin seeds, turmeric powder, asafoetida, salt, and mix. To this add water little by little and whisk to form a batter that is thinner than pancake batter. See that there are no lumps and batter is not too thick or too thin.
- The amount of water I added was approximately ⅓ cup but not more than ½ cup. This also varies based on brand of flour, weather conditions and water.
- Your vadas should be coated easily in this batter. If the batter is too thick then add water, and if it becomes too watery then add chickpea flour and adjust accordingly.
Step III (Frying the vadas or bonda )
- Heat oil in a heavy bottomed pan for frying.
- Once the oil is hot, dip each potato ball in the batter and drop it in oil. Add 4 to 5 balls depending on the size of your pan. Deep fry them till they are golden brown in color.
- Transfer this to paper towel to absorb any excess oil.
- Repeat the process for remaining potato balls.
- Batata Vadas or Aloo Bonda are now ready. Serve hot and enjoy.
Tips to make best batata vada or aloo bonda:
- To check if the oil is hot, drop few drops of batter and check if it sizzles and comes up.
- Vary the spiciness as per your taste.
- If the oil is cold, vadas will absorb excess oil and If it is too hot, vadas will turn brown. Best practice is to fry between medium and medium high flame.
- Do not boil potatoes more than needed. It should be firm and not mushy.
- Adding rice flour is optional. I have tried adding as well as skipping it. Adding it makes your outer cover more crispier.
- Consistency of batter place very important role in making perfect vadas. If batter is thick, vadas will become hard and If batter is thin, then stuffing will come out and its going to be messy.
- If you do not like pieces of green chilies and ginger you can also make paste out of it and add it to the recipe.
- Some people add pinch of baking soda to batter to make it fluffier. I generally skip adding it and find no difference.
Recipe card
Best Batata Vada | Aloo Bonda | Potato Dumplings
Equipment
- 1 Pan for frying
Ingredients
For the batter
- ½ cup Chickpea flour or Besan
- ½ teaspoon Red chile powder
- 1 teaspoon Cumin seeds
- ¼ teaspoon Turmeric powder
- Asafetida or Hing, Pinch
- Salt, to taste
- 2 to 3 tablespoon Rice flour (optional)
For the potato filling or potato stuffing
- 2 Medium potatoes
- 2 Green chilies, finely chopped
- 1 tablespoon Ginger, grated
- 2 to 3 tablespoon Coriander leaves or Cilantro, finely chopped
- Salt, to taste
For the tempering
- 1 teaspoon Mustard seeds
- 1 teaspoon Urad Dal
- 3 Garlic cloves, finely chopped (optional)
- Asafetida or Hing, a pinch
- Turmeric powder, a pinch
- 1 sprig Curry leaves, finely chopped
- 1 teaspoon Vegetable oil or Coconut oil or Cooking oil
Other ingredient
- Oil for frying
Instructions
STEP I (Prepare the filling or Stuffing)
- Peel the skin of potatoes, cut them into cubes and wash them.2 Medium potatoes
- Cook the potatoes in any way desired but make sure they are just firm and not mushy. I have just sprinkled water, covered with lid and microwaved the potatoes for 5 minutes.
- Alternatively, you can cook potato cubes in boiling water for 15 to 20 minutes or pressure cook it for 2 whistles or cook even in steamer or pot.
- In a small pan, heat oil on medium to low flame. Add mustard seeds, and when they start to splutter add urad dal, garlic cloves (skip if you are preparing on vrat days) and hing and sauté till the raw smell of garlic goes off (about 1 minute) and urad dal becomes light in color..1 teaspoon Mustard seeds, 1 teaspoon Urad Dal, 3 Garlic cloves, finely chopped, 1 teaspoon Vegetable oil or Coconut oil or Cooking oil
- Next add turmeric powder, curry leaves and sauté for another few seconds. switch off the flame.¼ teaspoon Turmeric powder, 1 sprig Curry leaves, finely chopped
- Mash the cooked potatoes. To this add green chilies, ginger, coriander leaves, salt and sautéed ingredients prepared above and mix well.2 Green chilies, finely chopped, 1 tablespoon Ginger, grated, 2 to 3 tablespoon Coriander leaves or Cilantro, finely chopped, Salt, to taste
- Divide this into 9 or 10 portions or to desired size bonda or vada and make balls out of it.
STEP II(Prepare the batter)
- In a bowl, add chickpea flour, red chilli powder, cumin seeds, turmeric powder, asafoetida, salt, and mix.½ cup Chickpea flour or Besan, ½ teaspoon Red chile powder, 1 teaspoon Cumin seeds, Asafetida or Hing, Pinch, 2 to 3 tablespoon Rice flour (optional), Salt, to taste, Turmeric powder, a pinch, Asafetida or Hing, a pinch
- To this add water little by little and whisk to form a batter that is thinner than pancake batter. See that there are no lumps and batter is not too thick or too thin.
- The amount of water I added was approximately ⅓ cup but not more than ½ cup. This also varies based on brand of flour, weather conditions and water.
- Your vadas should be coated easily in this batter. If the batter is too thick then add water, and if it becomes too watery then add chickpea flour and adjust accordingly.
STEP III( Frying vadas or bondas or fritters)
- Heat oil in a heavy bottomed pan for frying.Oil for frying
- Once the oil is hot, dip each potato ball in the batter and drop it in oil. Add 4 to 5 balls depending on the size of your pan. Deep fry them till they are golden brown in color.
- Transfer this to paper towel to absorb any excess oil.
- Repeat the process for remaining potato balls.
- Batata Vadas or Aloo Bonda are now ready. Serve hot and enjoy.
Notes
- To check if the oil is hot, drop few drops of batter and check if it sizzles and comes up.
- Vary the spiciness as per your taste.
- If the oil is cold, vadas will absorb excess oil and If it is too hot, vadas will turn brown. Best practice is to fry between medium and medium high flame.
- Do not boil potatoes more than needed. It should be firm and not mushy.
- Adding rice flour is optional. I have tried adding as well skipping it. Adding it makes your outer cover more crispier.
- Consistency of batter place very important role in making perfect vadas. If batter is thick, vadas will become hard and If batter is thin, then stuffing will come out and its going to be messy.
- If you do not like pieces of green chilies and ginger you can also make paste out of it and add it to the recipe.
- Some people add pinch of baking soda to batter to make it fluffier. I generally skip adding it and find no difference.
Nutrition
If you like this Indian street food or chaat (chat) or evening snacks recipe,
Don't miss to check out some of my popular and delicious Indian food recipes to try this festival and holiday season, parties or any time of the year.
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Natalie
What an interesting recipe. I never tried this before. But sounds very delicious, full of flavors I like. I saved the recipe. WIll give it a try.
Amanda Wren-Grimwood
These look delicious! My family will love these so they're on my list.
Sharon Chen
I always wanted to try a new recipe from another country. This one looks delicious!
Beth
We love this recipe even my picky eater loved this recipe! I will definitely be making these again! Can't wait!
Venkatesh
I have tried and it was so delicious. Children's asking for once more 😊