ALOO / POTATO BONDAS

Usually the monsoon sets off cravings for something deep fried, hot and spicy and one can find various outlets here in namma Bengaluru preparing bajjis and bondas in full swing and enough people to buy them too. Me? I lean towards bajjis and bondas anytime of the year.

The picture above was taken around the same month last year (2015) , when I cooked about 200 Aloo bondas for a school for the visually challenged near my place. I was exhausted by the end of it, but thoroughly enjoyed every single step of the process.

This happens to be one of my favorite recipes and received with many exclamations of mmmm...’s (in a good way:) after people take the first bite. I am happy to say that when I prepare a big batch and take them for a group of friends/colleagues, I always come home with an empty box!!:)

Here’s the recipe:

Ingredients:

5-6 medium sized potatoes
½ tsp red chilli powder
½ tsp turmeric powder
5 to 6 finely chopped green chillies
½ tsp chaat masala.
A few chopped coriander leaves.
Salt to taste
Oil for frying.

Bonda Batter mix:

Two cups of besan/Gram flour.
1 tsp chilli powder.
1 tsp Turmeric powder.
A pinch of sodium bicarbonate.
One or two cups water.
Salt to taste.

You may also use any of the readymade bajji/bonda mixes available in most supermarkets which I usually do.

1. For the bonda batter, mix all the ingredients of the bonda batter along with water to make a fine paste. Ideally, you need to add water little by little to ensure that the batter does not become too watery or remain too thick. It should be just right to coat the potato balls. This applies even if you are using the readymade bajji bonda mix.

2. Boil, peel and mash the potatoes well. Make sure that there are no lumps.

3. Add all the other ingredients, red chilli powder, turmeric powder, green chillies, finely chopped coriander leaves, chaat masala and salt to taste to the mashed potatoes and mix well.

4. Scoop up a bit of mashed potatoes and roll them into a ball with your palms. Make many such potato balls.

5. Heat oil in a wok. This is a deep fried snack so ensure that there is enough oil and it is heated well.

6. Dip the potato balls into the batter, taking care not to break them. The besan batter should coat the entire potato ball.

7. Gently let them into the oil and deep fry till golden brown. Repeat the process.

8. Serve hot with mint chutney.

Note: Salt and green chillies are to taste. You can make them as spicy or as bland as you wish.