Tomato vada

Ingredients:
8 medium tomatoes, red and firm
5 medium potatoes
4 green chillies, chopped
8-10 cloves garlic
2 tbsp chopped fresh coriander leaves
Salt to taste
2 tbsp oil
½ tsp mustard seeds
5-6 curry leaves
A pinch of asafoetida
¼ tsp turmeric powder
1 lemon
For batter:
1¼ cups gram flour (besan)
A small pinch of soda bicarbonate
½ tspoon red chilli powder
¼ teaspoon turmeric powder
Salt to taste
1 tbsp hot oil + to deep fry

Boil, cool, peel and roughly mash potatoes. Grind green chillies and garlic to make a paste. Place mashed potatoes, garlic-green chilli paste, coriander leaves and salt in a bowl. Heat two tablespoons of oil in a pan. Add mustard seeds. As they crackle, add curry leaves and asafoetida. Remove from heat and add to the potato mixture. Add turmeric powder and freshly squeezed juice of one lemon. Mix well. Make eight balls of the above mixture. Set aside.

Take besan in a bowl, add soda bicarbonate, turmeric powder, red chilli powder, salt and hot oil.
Make a batter of coating using water as required. Take tomatoes and slice off tops. Scoop out seeds using a small spoon.
Fill potato mixture in each tomato. Heat sufficient oil in a kadai. Dip the stuffed tomatoes in the batter and deep fry in medium hot oil till golden brown and crisp. Drain on absorbent paper.
Serve hot tomato vadas with coconut chutney or spicy garlic chutney. You can also serve them sandwiched in pao or bun.