Alu Vadi is a traditional steamed snack of Gujarat and Maharashtra region. It is also known as Pathrode. Alu Vadi is prepared with Taro (Colocasia) leaves, which is generally available during the monsoon season. The sweet, spicy and tangy gram flour paste is smeared on the Taro Leaves which are then rolled and steamed. The steamed rolls are sliced and tempered and/or fried. I have shown you both variations in the video. This can be served with green chutney and served as a tea time snack.
Ingredients:
Colocasia Leaves – 10
Besan (chick Pea Flour) – 1 ¼ cup
Rice Flour – 2 tbsp
Red Chilli Powder – 1 ½ tsp
Turmeric Powder – ¼ tsp
Asafoetida – 1 pinch
Dhania Jeera Powder – 1 tsp
Jaggery Powder – 1 tbsp
Salt – to taste
Ginger Garlic Paste – 1 tsp
Eno Fruit Salt – ¼ tsp
Sesame (Til) – 2 tsp
Tamarind – goose beery sized ball
Oil – for shallow frying
For Tempering:
Oil – 2 tbsp
Mustard Seed – ½ tsp
Sesame Seed – 1 tsp
Asafoetida – 1 pinch
Green Chillies – 3 (slitted)
To Garnish:
Grated Coconut – 1 tbsp
Finely Chopped Coriander Leaves – as required
Method:
Soak the Tamarind in ¼ cup of water for 20 minutes and extract the pulp.
Rinse the Taro Leaves well. Wipe them dry. Remove the central vein and thick veins and also the stalk.
Sieve the Besan (This process is a must since it helps to make the batter easily without any lump.)
Take all the ingredients for batter in a mixing bowl. Add the Tamarind extract (pulp). Add the required water to make a smooth medium thick batter. Check the taste and adjust spices or Jaggery to suit taste. The batter must be of proper texture.
Place a Taro leaf upside down on a flat surface. Coat the leaf thinly with the Besan mixture. Place another leaf on top of it. (The pip of the leaf must be in the opposite direction to the earlier leaf.) Coat this leaf also with the batter. Repeat this with at least 5 to six leaves.
(The leaves are arranged – one leave in one direction and the other on top of it in a different direction etc. I used five leaves per roll and I made only two rolls. Depending on the size of the leaves, you can vary the number of leaves per roll. )
Fold the leave on four sides and roll them gently.
Steam cook the rolls in a pan or pressure cooker without a weight valve. Steam them for 15 to 20 minutes. Remove the rolls and allow them to cool. Cut them into thin slices and keep aside.
Heat 3 to 4 tbsp of Oil in a broad pan. Fry half the sliced rolls in it. They should become crisp and brown on both the sides. Remove them and fry the other half.
Heat the 2 tbsp of Oil in the same pan. Add Mustard Seeds. When they start crackling, add Sesame Seeds. Then, add Asafoetida and stir them. Add the slitted Green Chillies and sauté for 30 to 40 seconds.
Add the Alu Vadi and toss for 3 to 4 minutes. Transfer to a serving dish. Garnish with grated Coconut and chopped Coriander leaves.
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