Alu Vadi

Alu Vadi is a special snacks or side dish which is prepared in Maharashtra on a special occasion. It’s a popular dish in state of Maharashtra and Gujarat. In Maharashtra, it is mostly prepared during Shravan month, Janmashtami and Ganesh festival or any special occasion as these leaves are easily available during monsoon season. This recipe is very easy to cook as all ingredients are easily available at home except the colocasia leaves (aluchi pane) 😊

Preparation Time –  25 mins

Cook Time – 10 mins

Total Time – 35 mins

Ingredients:

• 12 colocasia leaves (Aluchi pane)
• 4 green chillies
• 1-inch ginger
• ½ bowl finely chopped coriander leaves
• 2 Bowl gram flour (Besan)
• ½ bowl rice flour – optional
• 1 teaspoon coriander powder
• 1 teaspoon cumin seed powder
• 1 teaspoon red chilli powder
• 1 teaspoon turmeric powder
• 1 pinch of asafoetida
• 1 teaspoon sesame seed
• ½ bowl amosole agal (kokum agal) or Garcinia indica juice
• 1 small bowl oil for frying
• Water as required
• Salt to taste

Serves:  5 persons

Directions / Procedure:

1. Wash the Colocasia leaves/ Alu leaves and keep them aside
2. Make the paste of coriander leaves, green chillies and ginger
3. In mixing bowl add above ingredients like coriander powder, cumin seed powder, turmeric powder, red chilli powder, asafoetida, besan, rice flour, 1 ½ teaspoon of kokum agal, paste of ginger, chilli and coriander. Also add salt to taste.
4. Mix the above ingredients very well by adding small amount of water and to make thick batter.
5. First flatten/ soften the hard parts (veins) of all Alu leaves. Place the leaf on a flat surface with veins facing you and if required use wooden roller/ belan and slightly roll the roller on the leaf like making roti. This process helps to flatten/soften the hard parts (veins) of the leaves. You can use knife for slice cutting of veins but be careful while using knife sometimes leaf may get cut.
6. Place the largest leaf on bottom first. Apply small amount (1/2 teaspoon) of kokum agal all over the leaf and then spread batter evenly all over the leaf.
7. Take another leaf (medium / small) and put it on the above leaf and again apply kokum agal & batter all over the leaf.
8. Like this you can use 5 to 6 leaves or 7 to 8 leaves and apply the same procedure.
9. First fold the top and bottom parts of the leaves and spread some batter on it.
10. Then fold left and right parts of the leaves and spread some batter on it
11. Now start rolling the leaves very smoothly but hold all leaves tightly and spread little batter on each fold if required.
12. If required use thread (dhaga) and tie the roll with it.
13. Repeat the same process for remaining leaves.
14. Keep these rolls for steaming – you can use idli steamer/ patra or pressure cooker. Add 1 ½ glass of water in cooker and place empty patila/ container in it. Apply some oil to the plate & place the plate in the container and keep the rolls in plate. Without whistle cook till 15 to 20 min on medium flame gas.
15. Remove the flame & let it cool down. Take the rolls & remove the thread and make the slices of rolls in ½ inch thick.
16. Heat the oil in frying pan and fry the vadi till it turns reddish from both sides.
17. Take it out from frying pan & place it in a kitchen paper. Here your Alu Vadi is ready to serve.
18. If you like tadka, then heat the oil in a tadka pan & add sesame seed and fry it nicely. Then pour this tadka in a fried Alu Vadi.

Tips / suggestions:

• For making Alu vadi use Alu leaves that have black stalk.
• Kokum / Tamarind is use because it reduces the itchiness of Alu leaves.
• Add or adjust more spice ingredients as per your choice like cumin powder, coriander powder, chilli powder.
• You add garlic paste also as per your choice.
• Add jaggery for light sweetness, if you like.
• Instead of kokum agal use tamarind pulp in a batter OR use half tamarind pulp and half kokum agal.
• If you use tamarind pulp in a batter, then no need to apply it in each leaf.
• You can serve these Alu vadi without frying also or you can deep fry / shallow fry it as you like.
• You can store these steam rolls in freezer for about 15-20 days.

Photos for reference: