Spicy Samo Rice-Potato Fritters/Vada/Bhajia

Cooking something interesting out of leftover food always strike spontaneously. I had one cup left over cooked samo rice from Janmashtami dinner. First I thought to eat with some curry..later thought to use it up in dosa batter..but imaginations ended on idea of making Bhajia/fritters/Vada out of left over samo rice. Fritters tasted very delicious and this recipe is worth repeating again and has lot of room for trying variations.
Season is slowly changing in NC..it is still very hot but we had few pleasant chilled mornings..Look at the below picture, I have placed very first three leaves picked from backyard with beautiful fall color tone.

Ingredients :-

• 1 Cup cooked samo rice - (heaped and firmly pressed)
• 1.5 cup boiled mashed potatoes.
• 1 Egg
• 4-5 green chilies (reduce if need mild hot)
  
• 1 inch ginger piece
• 3-4 garlic cloves
• 8-10 stems of cilantro along with leaves - roughly chopped
  
• Oil to fry ( upto 2 cups)
• 1-2 Tb.spoon rice flour/besan/instant mashed potato flakes. (if required for binding)
  

Preparation :-

• A) mash boiled potato. I use cheese grater to get fine texture for potato. Keep it aside.
• B) Beat one egg. Keep it aside
• C) Combine green chilies, ginger , garlic , cilantro in small jar of blender and coarsely grind.

Method of preparing fritters/Vada :-

1. In a medium size bowl , combine the samo rice with all ingredients mentioned in step A,B,C. Add salt and blend thoroughly with a mixing spoon until the mixture has the consistency of a soft dough. If you find dough too soft to handle , add little rice flour or Besan or instant mashed potato flakes.
   
2. On a medium hot temperature heat the 1.5 cup oil in a Kadhai /deep frying pan. Drop peanut size dough in oil, if it bubbles and quickly floats on top - that indicates oil is ready to fry.
3. Collect 1 inch size ball of dough and give desired shape..like I made few flat round ones and few oblong shape. Gently slide fritters into the hot oil. Fry until fritters turn golden brown. Fry for 1.5 minutes each side by turning them at interval.
   
4. Drain on paper towels and serve hot with any type of Hot-sweet-sour chutney or ketchup.
   

Samo Potato Vada