Lasaniya Bhungla Batata or Bhungra Bateka is a beloved street food originating from the city of Bhavnagar in the Saurashtra region of Gujarat. Its uniqueness lies in the combination of baby potatoes cooked in a pungent, garlicky chutney and served with a crispy fried snack called bhungla/pipe fryums. The tangy potatoes pack a spicy punch thanks to the chutney, which uses a typical Kathiyawadi blend of spices like garlic, dry red chilies, ginger, and cumin. They are then topped with freshly chopped raw onions and a squeeze of lime juice before being devoured.
This addictive street snack encapsulates the rustic and bold flavors of Saurashtrian cuisine. Part of its popularity also comes from how it is served – hot off a cart on the busy streets of Bhavnagar for hungry passersby craving something flavorful and filling. The interplay of the soft potatoes, crunchy far far/fryums, pungency of garlic, heat of chilies, and acidity from lime juice makes this dish a stellar example of the creative street food culture found across cities in Gujarat. While it remains little known outside its native region, food lovers visiting Gujarat shouldn’t miss trying this invented-on-the-streets delicacy native to Bhavnagar and now considered a Kathiyawadi staple. This spicy potato curry is very famous and must in a Kathiyawadi thali, along with Ringan nu Bhartu, Rotlo, Rotli, Puri, Dal, Kadhi, kachumber, chaas, sweet and farsan.
Ingredients
• For garlic Chutney/Paste
• 4-5 Dry Red Chilies
• 6-7 Garlic Cloves
• 1 inch Ginger
• ½ tsp Cumin Seeds
• 1-2 tbsp Kashmiri Chili Powder
• Salt
For Potatoes
• 250 grams Baby Potatoes or 3-4 Medium Sized Potatoes
• 2 tbsp Oil
• 1 tsp Chaat Masala
• 1 tsp Garam Masala
Other Ingredients
• 1 tbsp Oil
• ½ cup Chopped Onion(opt.)
• 1 cup Tomato Puree
• ½ tsp Turmeric Powder
• ½ tsp Red Chili Powder
• 1 tsp Coriander Powder
• ½ tsp Cumin Powder
• ½ tsp Garam Masala
For Garnishing
• ¼ cup Chopped Coriander Leaves
• ¼ Cup Chopped Onion
• ½ Lime Juice
Instructions
For Chutney
1. Soak dried chilies in hot water for about 30 minutes.
2. Drain the chilies well and add to a blender along with garlic, ginger, chili powder, cumin, and salt.
3. Blend into a smooth paste adding some water and set aside.
For Potatoes
1. Boil baby potatoes in water with a little salt until tender but still firm.
2. Drain and remove skins when cool enough to handle. Halve or cut into cubes potatoes if large.
3. Heat oil in a pan, add boiled potatoes, chaat masala and garam masala. Mix well and cook on medium-low heat until the outer layer is crisp.
4. Remove crisped potatoes to a bowl and set aside.
To Finish
1. In the same pan, heat some oil. Add chopped onions and fry until golden brown.
2. Stir in 2-3 tablespoons of the prepared garlic chutney and cook briefly.
3. Add tomato puree, turmeric powder, chili powder, cumin-coriander powder and garam masala. Season with salt. Cook until oil starts to separate.
4. Add the crispy potatoes and mix gently to coat well with gravy. Cook until potatoes have absorbed flavors.
5. Garnish with chopped onions and cilantro. Squeeze lime juice over the top.
6. Serve hot with fried bhungla/pipe fryums (or use fried Khichiya/rice papad). Enjoy!
Tips:
• You can skip frying the boiled potatoes and add directly to gravy.
• You can omit onions if preferred. I’ve added for extra depth of flavor.
• Leftover chutney can be stored in an airtight jar in the fridge.
- For garlic Chutney/Paste
- 4-5 Dry Red Chilies
- 6-7 Garlic Cloves
- 1 inch Ginger
- ½ tsp Cumin Seeds
- 1-2 tbsp Kashmiri Chili Powder
- Salt
- For Potatoes
- 250 grams Baby Potatoes or 3-4 Medium Sized Potatoes
- 2 tbsp Oil
- 1 tsp Chaat Masala
- 1 tsp Garam Masala
- Other Ingredients
- 1 tbsp Oil
- ½ cup Chopped Onion(opt.)
- 1 cup Tomato Puree
- ½ tsp Turmeric Powder
- ½ tsp Red Chili Powder
- 1 tsp Coriander Powder
- ½ tsp Cumin Powder
- ½ tsp Garam Masala
- For Garnishing
- ¼ cup Chopped Coriander Leaves
- ¼ Cup Chopped Onion
- ½ Lime Juice
- For Chutney
- Soak dried chilies in hot water for about 30 minutes.
- Drain the chilies well and add to a blender along with garlic, ginger, chili powder, cumin, and salt.
- Blend into a smooth paste adding some water and set aside.
- For Potatoes
- Boil baby potatoes in water with a little salt until tender but still firm.
- Drain and remove skins when cool enough to handle. Halve or cut into cubes potatoes if large.
- Heat oil in a pan, add boiled potatoes, chaat masala and garam masala. Mix well and cook on medium-low heat until the outer layer is crisp.
- Remove crisped potatoes to a bowl and set aside.
- To Finish
- In the same pan, heat some oil. Add chopped onions and fry until golden brown.
- Stir in 2-3 tablespoons of the prepared garlic chutney and cook briefly.
- Add tomato puree, turmeric powder, chili powder, cumin-coriander powder and garam masala. Season with salt. Cook until oil starts to separate.
- Add the crispy potatoes and mix gently to coat well with gravy. Cook until potatoes have absorbed flavors.
- Garnish with chopped onions and cilantro. Squeeze lime juice over the top.
- Serve hot with fried bhungla/pipe fryums (or use fried Khichiya/rice papad). Enjoy!
You can omit onions if preferred. I've added for extra depth of flavor.
Leftover chutney can be stored in an airtight jar in the fridge.
2 Responses to “Lasaniya Bhungla Batata”
Your posts always make me hungry!
Thank You 🙂