Batata fodi/kapa (Potato rava fry)

                                                                                 

Batata fodi is one of the quickest and tasty accompaniment for lunch or dinner.Favorite among kids and adult as well.Batata fodi,turns out spicy and crispy and goes very well as a side dish with a dal or a vegetarian curry and plain rice.I have also prepared it as veg starter for a potluck here in US.

Similar to the potato you can also prepare the fodi of brinjal,raw banana,ridge gourd,lady's finger,cauliflower etc. as per your choice using similar recipe.Although this dish looks very easy i have given some important tips in notes below to make perfect crispy fodi.

          Ingredients

• 1 potato(big size)
• 3-4 tbsp rava (rava should me mixed with half tsp each of turmeric powder and chilli powder)
• 2 tsp red chilli powder
• 1 tsp haldi powder
• salt to taste
• oil for frying

          Method

• Cut the potatoes into round of 1/4 inch thickness.
• Wash, and sprinkle salt, haldi powder and red chilli powder.Keep aside.
• Heat a  flat pan/tawa on a medium flame.
• Spread the sooji on a plate.
• Add 1/2 tsp haldi powder and 1/2 tsp of red chilli powder to the sooji and mix well.
• Take each piece of the potato and roll it in the sooji so that the sooji coats the potato completely and place it in the pan.
• Arrange all the fodi nicely on tawa.
• Drizzle some oil all over the fodi slowly and cover the pan with a lid.
• Let the potatoes cook on a  medium low flame.
• Uncover the pan in between and flip them to fry on the opposite side, again drizzle some oil and cover them.
• After 10-15 minutes check if potatoes are cooked by using a fork or by toothpick.
• Now uncover them and fry on low flame for 1-2 minutes.Fry them till golden brown.
• Turn off the gas and transfer them on a plate.
• Serve hot with rice and dal.

          Notes

• The thickness of the potatoes can be varied.Even if you slice them thin they taste good.
• I add 1/2 tsp of haldi and 1/2 tsp of red chilli powder to the sooji to enhance the flavours.
• You can use plain rawa also to cover fodi if you don't like to add seasoning.
• The potatoes must be moist only then will the sooji stick to the potato.If its dry add a tsp of water.
• Do not marinate the potato for too long, it will turn dark and very soft.
• One of the important tip would be sprinkle oil on rava covered fodi only after arranging them on tawa,because if u put oil first on tawa and then place fodi there is tendancy that the masala covering on fodi is detached.
• The fodi are cooked soft and crispy by covering them with lid.
• Some people sprinkle water on fodi while cooking as i feel this step will not make them very crispy so i avoid it.
• Instead of rava you can also use coarse rice flour it is called as "Aalen" in goa.

         Happy cooking !