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Ratalu puri
Fried purple yam slices
રતાળુ પૂરી: purple yam slices in a light gram-flour batter, deep fried and showered with a sour-hot masala
Ratalu puri belongs to Surat's evening snack trail, where farsan sellers on Chowk Bazaar fry purple yam slices to order and shake a tangy masala over them while they are still sizzling. Inside the crisp, golden coat the yam turns creamy and faintly sweet, and the masala of dry mango, black salt and chilli wakes everything up. They are eaten hot with green chutney, usually on cool winter evenings when ratalu is in season. A common mistake is cutting the yam too thick: slices thicker than 3 mm stay raw in the middle by the time the batter browns. Chef's tip: oil your hands before peeling ratalu, as the raw sap can make skin itch.
- Total time
- 30 min
- Difficulty
- easy
- Serves
- 4
Ingredients
For the yam
- 14 oz purple yam (ratalu)peeled and cut into 3 mm slices
- ¼ tsp salt
For the batter
- 4 oz besan (gram flour)
- 2 tbsp rice flour
- ½ tsp ajwain (carom seeds)
- ¼ tsp ground turmeric
- 1 tsp red chilli powder
- ¾ tsp salt
- ¾ cup water
For the masala
- ½ tsp black salt (kala namak)
- ½ tsp red chilli powder
- 1 tsp roasted ground cumin
For frying and serving
- 3 ¼ cups groundnut or sunflower oilfor deep frying
- 3 ½ oz green coriander chutney (optional)
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Method
0/7 doneStep 1: Toss the 14 oz purple yam (ratalu) slices with ¼ tsp salt and leave them for 5 minutes while you make the batter.
5 minStep 2: Whisk 4 oz besan (gram flour), 2 tbsp rice flour, ½ tsp ajwain (carom seeds), ¼ tsp ground turmeric, 1 tsp red chilli powder, ¼ tsp gluten-free asafoetida (hing) and ¾ tsp salt, then add ¾ cup water gradually to make a smooth batter that coats a spoon thickly, like pancake batter. Beat for a minute so it turns light.
4 minStep 3: Mix 1 tsp amchur (dry mango powder), ½ tsp black salt (kala namak), ½ tsp red chilli powder and 1 tsp roasted ground cumin in a small bowl.
1 minStep 4: Pour 3 ¼ cups groundnut or sunflower oil into a heavy, deep pan so it comes no more than a third of the way up the sides. Heat over medium-high to 350°F; without a thermometer, drop in a bead of batter: it should sink a little and rise at once with steady bubbles. Stay with the pan the whole time the oil is hot.
6 minStep 5: Pat the yam slices dry, dip each one in the batter and slide it into the oil, 6–7 at a time. Fry for 3–4 minutes, turning once, until deep golden, firm when tapped, and the loud sizzle has quietened.
8 minStep 6: Lift out onto kitchen paper and immediately sprinkle with the masala. Fry the rest, keeping the oil near 350°F.
2 minStep 7: Serve hot with 3 ½ oz green coriander chutney.
1 min
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 310 kcal
- Protein
- 8 g
- Carbs
- 42 g
- Fat
- 13 g
- Fibre
- 6 g
Nutrition values are estimates.
KrazyBadal
Good to know
- How long does ratalu puri take?
- About 30 minutes in total: 15 minutes to prepare and 15 minutes to cook.
- How many people does it serve?
- 4 as written. Change the servings above the ingredients and every amount scales to match.
- Is it vegan?
- Yes. It has no meat, fish, dairy or eggs.
- Is it gluten free?
- Yes, as written. Check the labels on stock, sauces and spice mixes, which sometimes contain gluten.
- What can I use instead of ground turmeric?
- Leave it out (it mostly adds colour).
- What can I use instead of red chilli powder?
- Cayenne, half the amount (hotter).
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