"Batate Ambado ani Alle' Chutney /Potato Vadas and Ginger Chutney" ... ek plate batate ambado ani chutney makes every amchi go goeeeeyyy ... over decades I have missed relishing them this way, in truly amchi style by dunking the vadas in chuntey … but then when you crave to have them, you got to prepare them at home and enjoy to your heart's content ... finally done, relished and yes wishing there were a few more ... Yummilicious ...
** It’s been really a long time since I prepared these batate ambados/ potato vadas and relished them truly in Konkani style with loads of coconut-ginger chutney. Sigh!! time does really moves fast, before I realize it is three decades into marriage. Though during the initial days I did prepare them, hubby who was born and brought up in Mumbai always preferred Vada Pav, ie relishing it placed between pav with garlic dry chutney and I always followed that pattern as it was also tasty and very filling as it included bread. In Mumbai you can truly live on Vada Pav without going hungry as they are available almost in every nook and corner of the street and prepared in their own way the recipe of which some do not even leak to know what exactly is the secret behind those scrumptious ones they prepared, tastes so good.
** Though we know them often as batate ambao it is also known as bonda in some parts of southern India. It is not that I have not prepared them, as vegetable bonda is something that is loved in my home and I have prepared them a few times. But somehow I just can’t imagine how I missed on blogging of our own traditional batate ambado. I wonder how could I have forgotten to blog it ??? Or was it always stolen to be relished as vada pav??? That made me forget it was batate ambado too ??? Not sure, but the fact remains it was not blogged and it is high time I do so. I must once again go through the oldest diaries and update dishes that are almost getting lost in transit. About Vada Pav, I will write in detail the next time for sure as this time the onus is on our very own batate ambado with loads of chutney.
** Here is the traditional method of preparing "Batate Ambado ani Alle' Chutney /Potato Vadas and Ginger Chutney" … which I learned to prepare from my Mom …
** Ingredients :
Batato/ Potato : 4-5 medium sized.
Green Chillies/ Tarni Mirsanga/ Hari Mirchi : 5-6 finely chopped
Hing/ Asafoetida Powder : ¼ tsp
Haldi/ Turmeric Powder : ¼ tsp
Ajwain/ Vonvo seeds : a pinch
Coconut/ Nariyal/ Soyi : 1-2 tblsp freshly grated (Optional)
Coriander Leaves/ Dhania/ Kothambari Pallo : handful finely chopped.
Curry Leaves/ Kadipatta/Karbevu : 4-5 finely chopped
Mustard Seeds/ Rai/ Sasam : ¼ tsp
Coconut Oil/ any edible oil : 1 tblsp
Lemon/ Limbiyo/ Nimboo : 1 tblsp freshly squeezed juice.
Salt/ Namak/ Meeta : to taste.
** For Outer Cover Batter :
Besan/ Chane Peeta/ Bengal Gram Flour : 1.5 cups (approx)
Kashmiri Mirchi Powder/ Red Chilly powder/ Mirsange Pitti : 1 tsp or as per individual liking.
Hing/ Asafoetida Powder : large pinch
Salt/ Namak/ Meeta : to taste.
Water/ Uddaka/ Paani : as required
** Refined Oil for Deep Frying.
** Wash the potatoes well, scrub them to remove mud if any, and put them into a pressure cooker along with water that immerses it to ¾ level. Pressure cook on medium heat to 4-5 whistles or till done. Remove and keep it aside for the pressure to fall on its own.
** The cooking of potatoes actually depends both upon the number of potatoes used and the size of the potatoes. So do not use very large sized ones as sometimes deep inside they do not get cooked properly, use medium sized ones that cook perfectly.
** When able to open the cooker, do so and allow to cool completely. After about 10 minutes, you can add in cool water if required, this helps in peeling of the outer skin of the potatoes easily or you can also allow them to get completely cooled till able to do so.
** Once you have peeled off the outer skin, cut them roughly into pieces and keep them aside ready. You can also mash them coarsely with a potato masher as for the preparation of batate ambado we need it mashed properly, a little bit of small pieces if remained is fine.
** Heat oil in a small pan, when hot add in the mustard seeds and when they splutter, cut the curry leaves into pieces and add on to the oil along with hing and turmeric. Remove and pour this over the prepared and kept mashed potatoes.
** Add salt, ajwain, coconut (optional), green chillies, lemon juice, coriander leaves, to the mashed potatoes and mix them all well mashing it once again well with hands. Do not add in water at any point, there should be absolutely no trace of water.
** To prepare the outer cover : Sieve the chane peeta into a deep stainless steel bowl, add in salt, hing, chilly powder and mix with a spoon. Now gradually keep adding water and mixing till you get a thick batter, do not add in more water or make the batter too thin.
** To check the consistency of the batter you can dip a stainless steel spoon into it and when you lift out the spoon the batter should evenly coat the back of the spoon in a thick single layer and not just slip off, so be careful with the same.
** For Deep frying the Batate Ambado : Make equal sized large lemon sized balls out of the potato mixture and keep them ready. The balls should be smooth and round and not break open, if so, you can keep it in fridge for some time to dry out and then do them too.
** Heat oil in a thick bottomed kadai to smoking hot, then lower the heat to minimum and wait for a few minutes. Add in a small ball of batter, if it sizzle and rises up, the oil is perfectly heated for deep frying, raise it to medium heat and you can start frying the ambados.
** Add a prepared potato ball into the batter and roll over to evenly coat it all round with the batter, then drop it into the hot oil gently and continue with a few more ambado till the required number that holds in the pan are added.
** You can also use a large tablespoon to drop the batter covered potato balls into the hot oil, if you are not comfortable with the idea of doing so with bare hands or are new to preparing of these batate ambados, just be careful when adding to hot oil
** Let them cook for a few minutes then gently with a spatula with holes that is used for deep frying roll them over and allow to cook on all sides. Keep stirring once in a few minutes all round for the potato ambado to get evenly browned and cooked from all side.
** When they are evenly done, which will take about 5-8 minutes depending again on the size of the pan and the number of vadas added into the oil, remove with the holed/ slotted spatula draining off excess oil back into the pan and place them on absorbent paper.
** Continue the deep frying with the reaming prepared and kept potato balls if any or till the number of ambados you want to prepare are done with in the same procedure. Do check out the heat often, do not overheat it nor allow it to cool down, keep it constant.
** "Batate Ambado ani Alle' Chutney /Potato Vadas and Ginger Chutney" are done and ready to be served. Traditionally in my hometown or amongst GSB Konkani Saraswat’s these are simple served hot with ginger chutney, that’s it and it tastes simply wonderful.
** The same batate ambado/ potato vadas/ bondas can be served along with pav/ Bombay bread too by serving it sandwiched between pav along with garlic chutney and it tastes wonderful, but there are times when you want to go back to roots and change nothing.
** Batate Ambado as it is fondly referred to amongst GSB Konkani Saraswat’s is a favorite evening snack or when guest drop in and is almost loved by one and all. Served extensively during marriages or other functions one never tires of relishing them.
** In my community these ambado’s run in par with biscuit ambado/ urad vadas another delicacy that is also enjoyed by all. It will not be wrong if I say that both are offered to guest during marriage season at different timings and holds a prominent place to date.
** If you want to try these batate ambados with the same chutney that I have served with which is one of the best and excellent combo be it for this vada or idlies, you can do so and enjoy it with your family and friends. Just browse through the link given below for the recipe ….
** A few years back I had tried out a few variations of vadas with addition of jackfruit seeds, methi leaves and mixed veggies and they all had turned out excellent too, I sharing the links to their recipe below, you can try them out if interested too, they all taste great ….
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