Recipe: Bethica's Poha Vada

Poha Vada, made from beaten or flattened rice, is just what you look forward to at chai time.

Bethica Das serves hers with tomato ketchup or green chutney. She says, "For a healthier version I have used brown poha and boiled raw bananas instead of potatoes. Finely chopped mixed veggies too were added to make them more nutritious."

"The addition of peanuts gives a bit of a crunch to the end product and the roasted chana dal powder, a binding to the vadas. For a non-egg version, skip the egg and use a slurry of besan or simply skip both and shallow fry them without a covering."

When Bethica steps in the kitchen, it could be to cook a fiery Bengali dish, from her native state, or a Hyderabadi special, a place where she spent a good amount of time, or another regional recipe. The food blogger always searches for variety and innovation.

Photograph: Bethica Das

Poha Vada

Serves: 3-4

1 cup brown poha or beaten/flattened rice
2 raw bananas, boiled, peeled, mashed
½ cup chopped mixed vegetables like beans, carrots, capsicum, green peas
2 tbsp peanuts, roasted, coarsely ground
2 tbsp chana dal or Bengal gram, roasted powdered
1 small onion, finely chopped
1 tsp grated ginger
2 green chillies, chopped
A handful of fresh green dhania or coriander leaves or cilantro, chopped
½ tsp roasted jeera or cumin powder
½ tsp chaat masala
Salt to taste, about 1 tsp
1 egg, beaten
Oil for deep frying the vadas

Method

Wash the poha in a colander or large channi for a few seconds and keep aside for 10 minutes so it becomes soft.
Mix the poha with all the other ingredients, except the egg and the oil, and knead into a dough.
Divide this mix into equal portions of 3-4 tbsp each.
Shape each portion into a round flat patty/cutlet.
Refrigerate for 15-20 minutes.
Heat oil in a deep saucepan or a kadhai over medium heat.
Dip each vada in the egg mix and deep fry over medium heat, few at a time, till crisp and golden brown.
Drain on a tissue or paper towel-lined plate and serve hot with tomato ketchup or red chilly sauce or green chutney, as a comforting snack.