BATATA WAFERS .This takes me down the memory lane of my childhood days when I stayed in uran .Summer is the season when women (especially in maharashtra)prepare their yearly stock of pickles,moramba (mango jam),mango chunda & walwan ie dried items like papad ,sabudana chikodi, potato wafers ,sabudana aloo chakali (murukku) which can be used for fasting too ,kurdaya ,sandge, walaveli tondli etc.I remember my aaji (moms mausi) used to fill big glass jars with pickles & handover jars to all her daughters .She would even prepare ambepoli ( wadi prepared from alphonso mango pulp), sun dried kokam sherbat,amboshi ,papads ,kurdais.My mom prepares variety of pickles all round the year.
As a child I too was a part of this program especially sabudana papad ,sabudana chakali ,sabudana chikodi & potato wafers (all can be eaten during fast (vrat/upwaas) which my mausi used to prepare.My work was to dry these items on a cot ( a bed made of wood & coconut coir),turn the papads & keep a watch on sparrows,crows & silky (my favourite pamerean dog) that tried to feast these delicious dishes.
In fact in uran the women used to schedule papad & collectively gather at each others place & make different kinds of papad. We get tasty urad ,poha,batata & sabudana papad in PEN a small town near alibag which is famous for ganesh murtis.
I love all four dishes but today want to post about batatyache wafers .One of my aatya makes best wafers .This method is my aatyas as narrated by mom on phone.These can be eaten as normal snacks seasoned with your favourite flavour like red chilli powder /pepepr powder /chat masala or can be even used as a fasting food during sankashti,chaturthi,navratri in case of fasting you have to skip the seasoning. The process for batatycha kees & BATATA wafers remains same .If you want kees simply grate the potatoes & slice them for wafers /chips .Taste these & I am sure you will forget the lays chips.
Wafers have to be dried in sunlight for 3-4 days as if not completely dried they can catch fungus (burshi) & get spoilt. In hyderabad sunlight is too strong so my wafers got dried in two days. The laborious & lengthy process of wafers is worth as you will get delicious & tasty yummy wafers.Also you can store them in airtight container for almost year.With the plentiful sunshine you will have a bagful of golden crisp home made potato chips.s. Then spice and flavor them the way you want and fall in love with them.
Makes about 30-40 wafers
Ingredients :
2 big Potatoes (preferably flat and long)
Salt
Anjali slicer / Mandoline
Summer sunlight
Oil to fry
Red chilli powder
Method:
1) Peel potatoes & keep them immersed in water as they will turn black.Use a slicer & make chips using the wavy side of slicer or the plain one I had made plain wafers. Drop the chips in another bowl of water & change the water twice. Keep these wafers overnight in water . SLICE WAFERS IN NIGHT.
2)Next morning change water.heat water in a kadhai /yok add 1 tsp salt .Once water boils drop these chips in batches in boiling water for 4-5 mins.
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| chips next morning |
3) Immediately strain the wafers on a chalni /strainer to drain off excess water.
4) Once water is drained place the chips separately on a plastic sheet and dry in sun for 4-5 days, flipping sides twice a day Place wafers in such a manner that they are not overcrowded & each wafer is separate as shown in the image.
5) When they are totally dry, store in an air tight container.
6) Deep fry in oil, drain excess oil on kitchen towels and sprinkle with red chilli powder and salt or eat plain .
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| A plate of wafers |
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| a close look |
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