Batata Vada Rassa / Aloo Bonda with Black Chickpeas Curry

Vada Rassa is very popular breakfast dish in Vidarbha (Eastern region of Maharashtra). They make this spicy rassa/curry with sprouted moth beans and black chikpeas. Since I didn't have moth beans, I made this with black chickpeas only and did some variations. Hope you will find it interesting. :)

Recipe for making - 9-10 aloo bonda

Batata Vada / Aloo Bonda

Ingredients

For stuffing

Potatoes - 3 (Cook them in a pressure cooker till 3 whistles. Peel and mash them.)

Onion (Small sized) - 1 (finely chopped)

Green chilies - 4 (finely chopped)

Curry leaves - 8-10

Turmeric powder - 1/2 tsp

Cumin seeds - 1/2 tsp

Pinch of asafoetida

Oil - 2 tbsp

Salt to taste

Some chopped cilantro

To make cover

Besan/gram flour - 1/2 cup

Red chili powder - 1 tsp

Turmeric powder - 1/4 tsp

Carom seeds - 1/2 tsp

Salt to taste

Procedure

• Heat oil in a pan. Add cumin seeds, chopped green chilies, pinch of asafoetida and curry leaves. Let them crackle. Add chopped onion and saute till it turns translucent.
• Add mashed potato and salt to taste. Mix well and let it cook for 3-4 minutes. Keep stirring the mixture. Finally add lime juice and chopped cilantro. Let the stuffing cool down. Make a small balls out of it and keep them aside.

• Take gram flour/ besan in a mixing bowl. Add turmeric powder, red chili powder, carom seeds and salt to taste. Add little water to make thin batter. Put the stuffing ball into batter and coat it from all sides. Drop it carefully in a hot oil. Fry till it gets slight brown color.

Black chickpeas curry/ Rassa/ Kala Chana Curry

Ingredients

Black chickpeas - 1 cup (Soak overnight)

Onion - 1 (finely chopped)

Cloves of garlic - 3

Curry leaves - 6-8

Pinch of asafoetida

Turmeric powder - 1/4 tsp

Paprika - 1/2 tsp

Oil - 3 tbsp

Salt to taste

Cilantro for garnishing

To make spice powder / Masala for Rassa

Coriander seeds - 2 tbsp

Dry grated coconut - 1 tbsp

Cumin seeds - 1 tsp

Dried Red chilies - 4 

Bay leaf - 1

Cloves - 4

Black peppercorns - 8-10

Cinnamon stick - 1 inch piece

Dry roast all above spices and ground them coarsely.

Procedure

• Heat 1 tbsp oil in a pressure cooker. Add onion and saute till it turns translucent. Add pinch of asafoetida, chopped garlic and turmeric powder. Add in soaked kala chana / black chickpeas. Add 2 and half cups of water and salt to taste. Close the lid and cook till 5-6 whistles. Once the pressure goes away, open the lid and take out 1/2 cup of chana along with some water and make a smooth puree in a blender. Keep it aside.

• Heat 2 tbsp oil in a sauce pan. Add chickpeas puree and saute for a minute. Add cooked kala chana along with leftover water, paprika and ground spice powder. Let it boil for 8-10 minutes. Finally add chopped cilantro and serve hot with batata vada. You can serve this curry with plain rice too.