It’s tea time…
This is a leftover makeover. Bonda or fried potato balls is one of the famous South Indian snacks. There are mainly two variations of bonda, it can be made with spicy filling or with a sweet filling. Usually, the spicy filling is made with potatoes or potato-veggie mix. While the sweet filling is made with cooked mung bean/coconut/jaggery which is known as “Sukhiyan” in malayalam (recipe coming soon).
The other day, when I had made the cheese-potato sandwich, I had some leftover potato-veggie mixture. As soon as I saw the leftover potato mix, I was reminded of bonda. It’s been so very long since I’ve made bonda. I don’t make snacks often to go along with tea or coffee in the evening. Very rarely, during weekends I make some snacks and I feel nostalgic. As in my parents house, my mom makes some kind of snacks almost every evening and it becomes a family time as everyone in the house will be seen gathered around the dining table sipping tea, eating snacks and sharing some good talks.
So, with this potato-veggie filling you can either make a sandwich or bonda. On a rainy day, this bonda would be a good choice 🙂
Bonda or Fried potato-veggie balls
Ingredients
For making the potato-veggie filling
- Oil- 2 tbsp
- Potatoes, cubed- 5
- Mixed veggies, chopped small- 1 1/2 cups (carrot, corn, beans and peas)
- Onion, chopped- 1, large
- Ginger-Garlic paste- 1 tbsp
- Ginger, chopped- 1 inch slice
- Green chili, chopped- 2
- Curry leaves- 1 sprig (optional)
- Turmeric powder- 1/4 tsp
- Ground pepper- 1/4 to 1/2 tsp or according to your needs
- Salt- to taste
- Cilantro, chopped- 2 handful
For making Batter:
- Gram flour or chick pea flour or besan- 1 1/2 cups or depending on how many you are making
- Water- enough to make a thick batter
- Salt- a few pinches
- Chili powder (optional)- 1/2 tsp
- Oil- for deep frying
Instruction
Making Potato filling
- Place a large pan or wok over medium heat, add oil.
- Add chopped onions and little salt, saute till translucent.
- Add ginger-garlic paste and chopped ginger, saute for a minute.
- Add chopped chilies and curry leaves, saute for a couple of minutes.
- Add cubed potatoes and pour some water to it, cook covered till potatoes are cooked.
- Add the mixed veggies and cook for a few minutes.
- Add turmeric powder, ground pepper and salt to it, combine well.
- Using a wooden spatula, slightly mash the potatoes.
- Taste and add more salt if needed.
- Sprinkle cilantro over it, combine well and cook for a minute.
- Remove from the heat and allow it to cool down.
- Make small balls out of the potato-veggie filling.
- Make sure the filling is dry.
- In a bowl, combine gram flour, salt, chili powder if using along with enough water to make a thick batter.
- Batter should be of thick constituency, it should hold on to the potato-veggie mix.
- Heat a frying pan, add oil for deep frying, let oil turn hot.
- Dip the potato-veggie balls in the batter and coat it evenly.
- Place it in the oil and fry till it turns golden brown in color.
- Using a slotted spoon, remove the bonda from the oil and place it on a kitchen paper towel.
- Serve warm with ketchup if you prefer.
- For making the potato-veggie filling
- Oil- 2 tbsp
- Potatoes, cubed- 5
- Mixed veggies, chopped small- 1½ cups (carrot, corn, beans and peas)
- Onion, chopped- 1, large
- Ginger-Garlic paste- 1 tbsp
- Ginger, chopped- 1 inch slice
- Green chili, chopped- 2
- Curry leaves- 1 sprig (optional)
- Turmeric powder- ¼ tsp
- Ground pepper- ¼ to ½ tsp or according to your needs
- Salt- to taste
- Cilantro, chopped- 2 handful
- Gram flour or chick pea flour or besan- 1½ cups or depending on how many you are making
- Water- enough to make a thick batter
- Salt- a few pinches
- Chili powder (optional)- ½ tsp
- Oil- for deep frying
- Place a large pan or wok over medium heat, add oil.
- Add chopped onions and little salt, saute till translucent.
- Add ginger-garlic paste and chopped ginger, saute for a minute.
- Add chopped chilies and curry leaves, saute for a couple of minutes.
- Add cubed potatoes and pour some water to it, cook covered till potatoes are cooked.
- Add the mixed veggies and cook for a few minutes.
- Add turmeric powder, ground pepper and salt to it, combine well.
- Using a wooden spatula, slightly mash the potatoes.
- Taste and add more salt if needed.
- Sprinkle cilantro over it, combine well and cook for a minute.
- Remove from the heat and allow it to cool down.
- Make small balls out of the potato-veggie filling.
- Make sure the filling is dry.
- In a bowl, combine gram flour, salt, chili powder if using along with enough water to make a thick batter.
- Batter should be of thick constituency, it should hold on to the potato-veggie mix.
- Heat a frying pan, add oil for deep frying, let oil turn hot.
- Dip the potato-veggie balls in the batter and coat it evenly.
- Place it in the oil and fry till it turns golden brown in color.
- Using a slotted spoon, remove the bonda from the oil and place it on a kitchen paper towel.
- Serve warm with ketchup if you prefer.
