Batata Vada (Spicy Potato Fritters)

Potato balls dipped in a garbanzo bean flour and deep fried

Prep: 20 min

Cook: 20 min

Total: 40 min

Servings: 8

Ingredients

For the potato fritters
2 lbs potatoes (boiled and peeled)
2 tsp grated ginger
1/2 tbsp grated garlic
1 serrano chili (finely chopped)
1/8 tsp asafoetida
1 tsp cumin seeds
1/2 tsp mustard seeds
1 tsp turmeric
1/4 cup firmly packed cilantro leaves
1 tbsp lemon juice
2 tsp salt
3 tbsp fresh pomegranate arils (seeds)
2 tbsp oil
For the batter and frying
1 cup besan (also known as garbanzo bean flour or gram flour)
2 tbsp rice flour
1/2 tsp turmeric
1/2 tsp red chili powder
1/2 tsp salt
3/4 cup water
4 to 6 cups vegetable or canola oil (for frying (The amount of oil depends on how big the pan you fry in is. Fill the frying pan about 3/4 full of oil.))

In a large bowl, coarsely mash the potatoes. You want to have some small chunks mixed in with the mash.
In a medium frying pan, heat 2 tbsp oil. When the oil begins to shimmer, add the cumin seeds, mustard seeds, and asafoetida. Stir for about 10 seconds. Then add ginger paste, garlic paste, green chili, and half the chopped cilantro. Stir and cook for about 20 seconds. Add to the mashed potatoes.
Add the turmeric, rest of the cilantro, salt, and pomegranate seeds to the mashed potatoes. Mix well.
Form small balls with the mashed potato mixture but rolling about 1 tbsp of the mixture between your palms.
In a medium bowl, whisk together the dry ingredients.
Add the water and whisk. Do your best to remove as many lumps as you can.
Heat the oil over medium-high heat in a medium wok or an electric fryer (a cast iron pan or a heavy bottomed stainless steel pot will work too).
Test the oil by dropping a tiny bit of batter into the oil. If the batter bubbles and immediately rises to the top, the oil is ready.
Dip the potato balls in the batter, using a fork, pull out the batter-dipped potato ball, and gently drop them into the hot oil. You can fry about 4 to 10 balls at a time, depending on how wide your pan is.
Using a slotted spoon, stir the potato balls in the oil so that they cook evenly. When the batter turns golden brown, scoop out from the oil and drain onto paper towels.