We are into our Day 4 of
Cooking Carnival, September Mega BM, where each of us is either cooking one ingredient or Category for the entire month or 5 ingredients / 5 Category this month. I decided to club both the clauses by picking up one ingredient and doing 5 different categories through this month. What’s fun if it is easy right!
Yes, I had a pretty hard time deciding first on the category more than the dishes. I wanted to pick across countries and I ended up with dishes that may not be liked at home. Hubby dear is very fond of potatoes, however not with loads of cheese or white sauce, etc. So as much as possible I have enjoyed I have a variety. I have also ended up cooking some Indian dishes that seem to be missing from my collection.
Before starting, let me reveal what the subtheme for this week is going to be. It is going to be Tea Time Snacks or Starters served at a party!
So coming back to the dishes that are missing, I suddenly realized that I don’t have the most popular and common evening snack!
Yes, I am talking about today’s Bonda. It is one of the most commonly dished out snacks, quickest and tastiest too. Referred just as Bondas in Tamil Nadu, it is a quintessential snack. The deep-fried the best version!
I have made a sort of bonda when I madeÂ
Vada pav. But that’s not the real stuff. The typical bonda needs to have onions, curry leaves, and green chilies to boot. This used to be appearing on our table so very often growing up. And then we go to our club parties, it used to feature there as well. So much so that I never used to eat it then.
As I had said before, I wasn’t a big potato lover, only liked chips or fries. So anything appearing this way as boiled was never consumed. When I made the list, I suddenly remembered the Bonda and wanted to make it without fail. These bondas are so sinful and delicious when paired with Coconut Chutney. That’s exactly what I did. Everybody loved it at home and for the first time, even Peddu tried and enjoyed it so much.
I know I have said this before, just to repeat to clarify the terminology. Bonda is either stuffed with Potato or a snack where the batter is dropped as balls and deep fried. Bajji is a fritter where the vegetable is dipped in batter and deep fried. Pakoda is anything that also has vegetable/Meat and mixed with flour and deep fried. Pakoda to our understanding doesn’t normally have a shape.
So here’s the most sinful snack to be served for tea, the Bonda!
Urulai Kilangu BondaÂ
Ingredients Needed:
For the Outer Batter
Gram flour / Besan / Kadalai Maavu – 2 cups
Ajwain / Omam / Carom seeds – 1/2 tsp
Salt to taste
Red chili powder – 1 tsp
Turmeric powder a pinch
Cooking Soda a pinch
Oil for frying
For Potato stuffing:
Potato – 2 large (1 cup) mashed
Mustard Seeds, Urad Dal – 1 tsp
Curry Leaves handful
Onions, finely chopped – 1 cup / 2 medium
Green Chilli, finely chopped  – 4 to 5
Salt to taste
Coriander leaves, finely chopped – 2 to 3 tbsp
Oil – 2 tsp
How to make the Potato Bonda
For the Stuffing
Wash and scrub the potatoes well. Slash with a knife and MW for 5 to 6 mins. Soak in water and peel off the skin. Mash well.
Heat a nonstick Kadai with oil, temper with mustard seeds, urad dal seeds, curry leaves, green chilies. Saute for a minute.
Then add the finely chopped onions, saute till it changes colour. Add salt and turmeric powder. Add the mashed potato and mix well.
Finally, add the finely chopped coriander leaves and mix everything well. Divide into equal balls and keep it aside.
For the Outer batter
In a bowl, take the besan, spice powders, cooking soda, ajwain and mix well. Slowly add water to get a thick batter. Whisk well for 5 mins.
How to fry the bondas:
Heat a Kadai with oil.
You can either use your hands to drop the balls into the batter and slide into the oil. Or use spoons to scoop out the balls after coating with the batter. Either way, work out, however, with the spoons, it’s easy to get the job done. Else you keep washing your hands.
Let the bondas cook on all sides. When done, remove using a slotted spatula and drain on a kitchen towel.
Serve with Coconut Chutney
20 comments
A classic and yummy snack using potato. I am surprised to know that this bonda hasn't featured yet on your blog yet. In fact, I was thinking it is your 2nd or 3rd version of bonda.
A few years back, Alu bonda was a favorite choice as a snack at weddings. I am not sure it is the case any more. Love it though.
You have so many recipes on the blog and am surprised you don't have a bonda recipe until now. Bonda looks so good and nice tea time snack.
Evergreen bondas Valli,yet to share this in my blog.Perfectly made potato bondas..
I am craving for some hot coffee and suda suda urulai bonda. What a lovely recipe and I am looking forward to your snacks 🙂
So tempting, I can greedily gobble half a dozen at one go!
One of my fav. Aloo bonda looks absolutely inviting. Would love to have it with a cuppa hot coffee.
Oh my that is one tempting aloo bonda platter.Looks so yummy.
Omg, am craving for some deep fried bondas and you are tempting me Valli, dangerously addictive snacks.
Now this is one Bonda that I have never made . You guys might laugh but I am actually bookmarking it ????
I am quite surprised that you don't have bonda in your blog. It looks perfect to have with a cup of tea…
Mine coming soon too.. As I was reading your post, I just remembered our email conversation about the vada pavs.. 😉 Yummy snack valli.
we sort of converge on ur sub theme this week, but mine is slightly focussed on kids, bonda looks perfect , i love the entire setup and thought behind it…even i am not a great fan of potato, but somehow it absorbs everything
thought I commented on this post earlier 🙂
I make these in a paniyaram pan and both the deep fried and low fat versions are YET to appear on my blog 🙂 well done bondas – yes they taste amazing wit thengai chutney 🙂
Such a classic bonda or vada available length and breadth of the country and missing in your spot??? But I do agree we do tend to overlook the obvious. Loved the presentation a lot. Felt that I was sitting with what is purchased in our canteen.
Hot bondas and cup of coffee, bliss!! Just finished lunch and this bonda is making me hungry again
OMG I want this now!! These bondas look so lovely Valli.
I just love this snack. I remember, I had made it first time when I was in 9th standard. You are tempting me now with a nice presentation of yours and this has reminded me as well that even I hadn't put it on my blog. Will make soon now 🙂
My mom used to make these quite often while we were growing up. I remember making the balls with the potato curry and some of the balls would be eaten even before frying them 🙂 Love these yummy yummy bondas any time.
My husband is very similar…love potatoes but not on a pizza and never with cheese. But bonda is something that brings all of us together. My 3 yr old love it a lot…your bonda has turned out perfectly. So tempting!