If you love snacks that are both crunchy and packed with tang, Aloo Koliwada deserves a spot on your plate. This street food, sold along the lanes of Mumbai, has become a firm favourite among the people who pass through the city, and the best part is that it does not demand a lot of your time. Taste it once and you will find yourself wanting to make it again and again. So let us walk through the complete way to prepare street style Aloo Koliwada right at home.
What You Will Need
आलू 6-7 (potatoes), नमक एक बड़ी चुटकी (a large pinch of salt), तेल 2 बड़े चम्मच (2 tablespoons oil), कश्मीरी लाल मिर्च पाउडर 1 बड़े चम्मच (1 tablespoon Kashmiri red chilli powder), धनिया पाउडर 1 छोटा चम्मच (1 teaspoon coriander powder), गरम मसाला आधा छोटा चम्मच (half teaspoon garam masala), लाल मिर्च पाउडर एक छोटा चम्मच (1 teaspoon red chilli powder), जीरा पाउडर आधा छोटा चम्मच (half teaspoon cumin powder), चाट मसाला आधा छोटा चम्मच (half teaspoon chaat masala), सूखा अमचूर पाउडर एक छोटा चम्मच (1 teaspoon dry mango powder), काला नमक आधा छोटा चम्मच (half teaspoon black salt), हींग आधा छोटा चम्मच (half teaspoon asafoetida), अजवाइन आधा छोटा चम्मच (half teaspoon carom seeds), काली मिर्च पाउडर एक बड़ी चुटकी (a large pinch of black pepper powder), अदरक लहसुन मिर्च की पेस्ट दो बड़े चम्मच (2 tablespoons ginger garlic chilli paste), दही दो बड़े चम्मच (2 tablespoons yogurt), नींबू का रस (lemon juice), स्वादानुसार नमक (salt to taste), बेकिंग सोडा एक बड़ी चुटकी (a large pinch of baking soda), बेसन दो बड़े चम्मच (2 tablespoons gram flour) and कॉर्न फ्लोर 3 बड़े चम्मच (3 tablespoons corn flour).
Getting the Potatoes Ready
Begin by peeling the potatoes. Cut one potato in half, then split each half into two pieces, and repeat this with all the potatoes. Now switch on the gas, add the cut potatoes to boiling water along with a pinch of salt, and let them boil for just 5 minutes. The most important thing to remember here is that the potatoes should not cook fully. Cook them only up to 70 percent. As soon as they reach that stage, take them out into a bowl and set them aside to cool down.
Preparing the Spiced Coating
Now comes the special coating that gives Koliwada its signature flavour. In a large mixing bowl, add the oil, all the powdered spices listed above, the ginger garlic paste, the whisked yogurt, lemon juice, baking soda, gram flour and corn flour. Mix everything thoroughly into a smooth paste with no lumps. Next, drop the boiled potato pieces into this mixture and coat them well, making sure every piece gets an even and thin layer.
Frying It the Right Way
Heat oil in a kadhai and slide in the coated potatoes. For the first minute, do not stir them at all so that the outer layer sets properly. After that, keep the flame at medium to low, keep moving the potatoes around and fry them until they turn crisp. Lift the fried potatoes into a strainer so the extra oil drips away, and fry the remaining pieces in the same way.
How to Serve
Your super crisp and tangy Aloo Koliwada is now ready. Just before serving, squeeze a little lemon over the top and sprinkle some chaat masala. Serve them piping hot with your favourite chutney and enjoy the real taste of street food at home.
