Low Fat Batata Vada ~ Potato Dumplings

Batata Vada or Aaloo Bonda… Take your pick. They are one and the same. A deep fried goodie, Batata Vada is that sinful pleasure which forms a significant part in the very famous Vada Pav. Batata (read: buh-taa-taa) literally translates to potato. And Vada (vuh-daa) is a dumpling. This is how I make my potato dumplings. Feel free to play with the flavors! 😉This version of the deep fried potato dumpling however uses hardly a teaspoon of oil per dumpling. I owe a lot to the appam pan or the kuzhi paniyaram pan. Basically, it’s a non-stick pan with lemon sized grooves / holes in it. You can basically cook any batter, kebab, and veggies for much less oil than you would by deep frying! Honestly, it’s a good investment. Get it off Amazon, if you can’t find it nearby.

BATATA VADA RECIPE | Aloo Bonda Recipe
(Print this Recipe)

Prep Time: 30 min
Fry Time: 5 min
Makes: 20 dumplings

Ingredients
For the filling
Potatoes – 4 large
Salt – 1 teaspoon
Green Chilies – 3 , sliced finely
Oil – 1 teaspoon
Cumin Seeds – 1/2 teaspoon
Mustard Seeds – 1/2 teaspoon
Turmeric Powder – 1/2 teaspoon
For the batter
Gram Flour / Besan – 2 cups (also known as chickpea flour)
Rice flour – 3/4 cups
Red Chili Powder – 1-2 teaspoon
Salt – to taste – 1 -2 teaspoons
Water – 1-1.5 cups

Method
I. For the batter
Add gram flour, rice flour, red chili powder & salt to a mixing bowl and mix well

Add water little by little incorporating it into the flour. Add enough to make a smooth and thick batter. Beat well to avoid lumps. (consistency should be like a thick chocolate sauce)

II. For the filling
Mash boiled potatoes

Heat 1 tsp oil, add the mustard seeds. When that cracks, add cumin seeds.
Add the green chili, turmeric powder & salt to the oil and fry for a minute

Add this to the mashed potatoes

Mix well.

III. Making the dumplings
Take around 2 TBsp of potato mixture and make neat tiny balls

Add around 1/4 tsp oil in each groove of the pan and heat it

Dip the balls into the batter

Place one in each groove and let it cook (shallow fry) on one side for at least 2-3 min on medium heat

Gently flip over each of the dumplings. Use a fork & spoon to help you.

Cook for 2-3 min on this side too.

Remove & serve with chutney, pickle, sauce or any dip!

ALTERNATIVELY, heat enough oil in a deep bottomed pan and deep fry these dumplings until golden brown.

Verdict: We loved it and couldn’t really tell the difference between a deep fried one and this version.

Notes:
1. The filling used here is devoid of onions or garlic. You can fry them in oil after adding the chilies until golden brown & add to the potatoes.
2. This is not the only filling you can make. Any filling that will hold its form is acceptable. Tofu, beans, paneer are all good options.
3. A simpler way would be just to mash potatoes and add all your favorite spices to flavor it and use that as a filling.
4. I highly recommend getting one of these Paniyaram pans. However, the authentic deep fried ones are always tasty!