Kara Boondi

Name: Kara Boondi
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 20 min
Total time: 40 min
Yield: 8 servings
Cuisine: south_indian
Ingredients: 2 cup chickpea flour (sifted); 2 tbsp rice flour; 0.5 tsp red chili powder; 1 pinch asafoetida; 1 pinch baking soda; 0.5 tsp salt (for batter); 1 cup water (or as needed for flowing batter); 3 cup oil for deep frying; 0.5 cup peanuts; 12 pcs curry leaves (washed and dried well); 2 pcs dried red chili (broken in half)

RATING

4.6/5(78)

TASTE SCORE

9/10

Tiny, crisp gram flour pearls seasoned with chili, curry leaves, and roasted peanuts. This tea-time favorite from South India is spicy, crunchy, and perfect for snacking or topping on chaats and raita.

PREP

20m

COOK

20m

SERVES

1 KATORI

235 cal

SERVINGS

METHOD · 7 STEPS

prep · ~3 min
Get the batter and frying setup ready.
1.Place a boondi ladle or perforated ladle over a wide bowl or kadai.
2.Line a plate with paper towels for draining.
3.Keep the peanuts, curry leaves, dried red chili, and seasoning ingredients nearby.
mix · ~5 min
Make the boondi batter.
1.Add chickpea flour, rice flour, red chili powder, asafoetida, baking soda, and salt to a bowl.
2.Pour in water gradually and whisk to make a smooth, lump-free batter.
3.Adjust with a little more water if needed until the batter is flowing but not watery.
TIPThe batter should fall easily through the holes. If it is too thick, the boondi will have tails; if too thin, it will turn flat.
fry · ~4 min
Fry the peanuts and curry leaves.
1.Heat the oil in a deep kadai over medium heat.
2.Fry the peanuts until crisp and lightly golden, then drain on the prepared plate.
3.Fry the curry leaves and dried red chili for a few seconds until crisp, then drain well.
TIPMake sure the curry leaves are fully dry before frying so the oil does not splutter.
fry · ~12 min
Fry the boondi in batches.
1.Hold the boondi ladle just above the hot oil and pour a little batter onto it.
2.Tap or spread lightly so tiny droplets fall into the oil.
3.Fry the boondi until crisp without browning too much, about 1 to 2 minutes per batch.
4.Lift out with a slotted spoon and drain on the prepared plate.
TIPDo not overcrowd the oil, and keep the heat medium so the boondi cooks through and stays crisp.
assemble · ~2 min
Season and combine everything.
1.Place the fried boondi in a wide bowl.
2.Add the fried peanuts, curry leaves, and dried red chili.
3.Sprinkle the final pinch of red chili powder and salt over the top.
4.Toss gently until the seasoning is evenly mixed.
rest · ~15 min
Cool completely before storing.
Let the kara boondi cool fully so it stays crisp. Store in an airtight container once completely cool.
serve
Serve as a snack or crunchy topping.

PRO TIPS

What to keep in mind.

7 tips from the recipe — small details that make a real difference to the final dish.

1
Test one spoonful first; if the droplets form tails, thin the batter slightly before frying the rest.
2
Keep the boondi ladle just above the oil, not too high, so the pearls stay round and fry evenly.
3
Stir the batter between batches because chickpea flour settles quickly and can change the boondi texture.
4
Fry only until the sizzling reduces and the boondi feels light; deep browning can make it hard instead of crisp.
5
Cool the boondi completely before adding to a jar, or trapped steam will soften the crunch.
6
If the snack loses crispness later, spread it on a tray and warm briefly in a low oven to refresh it.
7
Add the final chili powder and salt while the boondi is still slightly warm so the seasoning clings better.