Air-Fried Batata Vada: A Quick, Easy Treat

Batata vada is a popular Indian snack, often served as a street food in Mumbai. It is made by coating mashed potato balls in a chickpea flour batter and deep-frying them. This paragraph will outline how to make batata vada in an air fryer, achieving the same delicious result with less oil.

How to make the potato balls

To make the potato balls, you'll need to start by boiling your potatoes. You can do this either on a stove top or in an instant pot.

Stove Top Method:

Add 4 cups of water to a saucepan, drop in the potatoes, cover with a lid, and place on a high flame for 15-20 minutes. When the potatoes are soft, turn off the heat, strain the water, and run cold water over them. Peel the skins.

Instant Pot Method:

Pour 2 cups of water into the inner pot of your instant pot. Place the washed potatoes into a steel vessel and put this inside the instant pot on its steel stand. Close the lid and valve, and set to pressure cook for 5 minutes under high pressure. After this, release the pressure naturally for 10 minutes, then put the potatoes in cold water and peel the skins.

Now, mash the potatoes and mix in your other ingredients. The specific ingredients vary between recipes, but common ones include:

• Ginger
• Green chillies
• Coriander leaves/cilantro
• Cumin seeds
• Turmeric powder
• Salt
• Red chilli powder
• Coriander powder
• Mustard seeds
• Curry leaves
• Asafoetida
• Cheese
• Onion
• Garam masala
• Amchur powder

Mix all your ingredients together thoroughly and make the mixture into small balls.

How to make the chickpea batter

To make the chickpea batter, you will need the following ingredients:

• Chickpea flour (also known as gram flour or besan)
• Water
• Spices (such as red chilli powder, paprika, turmeric powder, cayenne, and salt)
• A pinch of baking soda (optional)

• Take a bowl and add the chickpea flour.
• Slowly add water in small portions and stir to make a batter. The batter should be of pouring consistency, neither too thick nor too watery.
• Add the spices and mix well.
• Optionally, add a pinch of baking soda to the batter and mix again.
• Let the batter rest for a few minutes to puff up.

Now your chickpea batter is ready to be used for coating the potato balls in the Batata Vada recipe.

How to cook the batata vada in an air fryer

Batata vada is a popular Indian snack, often served as a street food in Mumbai. It is a potato patty coated in a chickpea flour batter and deep-fried. However, it can also be made in an air fryer. Here is a step-by-step guide on how to cook batata vada in an air fryer:

Ingredients:

• Boiled potatoes
• Chickpea flour/gram flour/besan
• Spices (cumin seeds, mustard seeds, turmeric powder, red chilli powder, coriander powder, etc.)
• Salt
• Water
• Oil
• Baking soda (optional)
• Green chillies, coriander leaves, ginger, garlic, and curry leaves (optional)

Instructions:

• Start by boiling and mashing the potatoes. You can do this on a stove top or in an instant pot.
• Prepare the spice mix by mixing the spices and salt. You can also add chopped green chillies, coriander leaves, ginger, garlic, and curry leaves at this stage for extra flavour.
• Add the spice mix to the mashed potatoes and combine well.
• Form the potato mixture into small balls.
• Prepare the chickpea flour batter by mixing the flour with water. The batter should be smooth and not too thick or too runny. Add a pinch of baking soda if desired.
• Preheat your air fryer to 170 degrees C or 340 degrees F for 5 minutes.
• Dip the potato balls into the chickpea flour batter, ensuring they are well coated.
• Place the battered potato balls into the air fryer, leaving some space between them.
• Spray or brush oil on top of the vadas.
• Cook the vadas in the air fryer for about 10 minutes at the same temperature setting.
• After 10 minutes, check if the vadas are golden brown. If not, cook for a few more minutes.
• Once done, remove the vadas from the air fryer and serve hot.

You can serve batata vada with chutneys such as tamarind chutney, coriander chutney, or garlic chutney. It also goes well with pav (bread) and a hot cup of masala chai.

How to serve batata vada

Batata vada is a popular snack from Maharashtrian cuisine and is best served hot out of the oil. It can be served on its own or with a cup of masala chai, dry garlic chutney, coriander chutney, green chutney, mint chutney, red garlic chutney, or some fried green chillies. It can also be stuffed inside a pav (dinner roll) or burger bun and served with chutney and fried green chillies on the side.

• Serve it hot or warm with fried salted green chillies, sweet tamarind chutney, coconut chutney, and coriander chutney.
• Stuff it inside a pav (dinner roll), burger bun, or bread with some onion or tomato slices and Indian chutneys.
• Serve it with masala chai as an evening snack.
• Serve it with dry garlic chutney powder, green chillies, green chutney, and warm pav buns.
• Serve it with tomato ketchup, mint chutney, or garlic chutney powder.
• For a healthier option, serve it without frying in an air fryer.

How to store batata vada

To store batata vada, place the leftover vadas in an airtight container and store them in the refrigerator for up to two days. Alternatively, you can store them in a freezer-safe container or bag for up to two months. When you're ready to serve, reheat them in the oven to 350°F (180°C) for 6-8 minutes until crisp.

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