Air Fryer Batata Vada (Mumbai Potato Fritters)

Ingredients

• 4 medium potatoes, boiled and mashed
• 1 tsp mustard seeds
• 10 curry leaves
• 2 green chillies, finely chopped
• 1 tbsp ginger-garlic paste
• ½ tsp turmeric
• ¾ cup besan (gram flour)
• ¼ tsp baking soda, for a lighter crust (optional)
• 2 tbsp oil
• Salt, water as needed

Steps

1. Heat 1 tbsp of the oil in a small pan, add the mustard seeds and let them pop, then add the curry leaves, green chillies and ginger-garlic paste and sauté for 30 seconds until fragrant.
2. Stir this tempering through the mashed potato along with the turmeric and salt, mixing until even, then shape into 8 even balls.
3. Whisk the besan with the baking soda, a pinch of salt, and just enough water to make a thick, pancake-batter-like paste, not runny - this is what coats and crisps the balls, so it needs to be thick enough to cling.
4. Dip each potato ball in the besan paste, turning to coat on all sides in a thin, even layer, and let any excess drip off.
5. Preheat the air fryer to 200°C.
6. Arrange the coated balls in a single layer, spray generously with oil - the besan coating needs oil to crisp rather than just dry out - and air fry for 8 minutes.
7. Turn each one over, spray again, and air fry a further 6-7 minutes (14-15 minutes total) until deep golden and crisp all over.
8. Serve hot.

Tip: Keep the besan coating thick rather than thin and runny - a thin batter just dries out powdery in the air fryer instead of forming the crisp shell you get from deep frying.

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Nutrition (per serving)

Estimated from standard ingredient data — actual values vary by brand and exact quantities used.

Serving & Storage