Batata Vada

Growing up as a child in Mumbai, I got hooked on to the well known 'Vada Pav'. As a school kid, it used to be the snack we ate at recess and this habit continued into my college life and even after. A 'vada pav' is simply a 'batata vada' and pav (bread) put together. Now I make my own vadas and the recipe I use is as follows

Ingredients

Potatoes - 4
Garlic - 1 or 2 cloves
Green chillies - 1 or 2 depending on how spicy you want it
Ginger - a small piece
Turmeric powder - 1 tsp
Coriander leaves - a few
Salt to taste
Besan - 1 cup or so
Red Chilli powder - 1 tsp
Oil - to fry
Lemon juice - 1 tsp

Preparation
Boil or pressure cook the potatoes. Remove the skin off the potatoes and mash them leaving in a few small lumps. In a small pan, saute the ginger, garlic and green chillies (finely chopped) in a little bit of oil. Add salt and turmeric powder and then add the mashed potatoes and mix well. Add the chopped coriander leaves and mix with the mashed potatoes. Add the lemon juice and mix it well.

Mix the besan, red chilli powder and salt in bowl. Add some water and mix it to a thick paste consistency. Now take a small amount of the potato mix and shape it into the shape and size of a golf ball. Dip it in the besan mix and deep fry in oil turning it lightly to fry it. Follow the same procedure for the rest of the potato mix.

Let the 'batata vada' cool and enjoy as is or put it inside a pav with some chutney as vada pav!