Urulai Bonda

Name: Urulai Bonda
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 25 min
Total time: 45 min
Yield: 8 servings
Cuisine: south_indian
Ingredients: 500 g potato (boiled, peeled and mashed); 1 pcs onion (medium, finely chopped); 2 pcs green chili (finely chopped); 1 inch ginger (finely chopped); 8 pcs curry leaves; 0.5 tsp mustard seeds; 0.5 tsp urad dal; 1 pinch turmeric powder; 0.5 tsp salt (divided); 2 tbsp coriander leaves (chopped); 1 tbsp oil; 1 cup chickpea flour; 2 tbsp rice flour; 1 pinch red chili powder; 1 pinch asafoetida; 1 pinch baking soda; 120 ml water (for batter)

RATING

4.6/5(115)

TASTE SCORE

9/10

Golden, crisp potato bondas with a soft, spiced center make a comforting South Indian snack. The mashed potato filling is seasoned with ginger, green chili, curry leaves, and a light gram flour batter for a classic tea-time bite.

PREP

20m

COOK

25m

SERVES

1 PIECE

126 cal

SERVINGS

METHOD · 7 STEPS

prep · ~7 min
Mash the potatoes and prepare the filling ingredients.
1.Mash the boiled potato until mostly smooth with a few small bits for texture.
2.Chop the onion, green chili, ginger, and coriander leaves.
3.Keep the curry leaves, mustard seeds, urad dal, and turmeric powder ready near the stove.
temper · ~3 min
Make the tempering for the potato filling.
1.Heat 1 tbsp oil in a kadai over medium heat.
2.Add mustard seeds and let them splutter.
3.Add urad dal and cook until lightly golden.
4.Add curry leaves, green chili, and ginger and cook for 30 seconds.
TIPKeep the heat medium so the urad dal turns golden without burning.
saute · ~6 min
Cook the onion and season the potatoes.
1.Add the onion and sauté until soft and lightly translucent.
2.Add turmeric powder and half of the salt and mix well.
3.Add the mashed potato and stir until the seasoning coats it evenly.
4.Turn off the heat and mix in the coriander leaves.
rest · ~10 min
Cool the filling and shape the balls.
Let the potato mixture cool until easy to handle. Divide it into 8 equal portions and roll each one into a smooth ball.
mix · ~4 min
Make the bonda batter.
1.In a bowl, combine chickpea flour, rice flour, red chili powder, asafoetida, baking soda, and the remaining salt.
2.Pour in the water little by little and whisk to a smooth, thick batter.
3.Mix until the batter coats the back of a spoon without running off too quickly.
TIPA thick batter helps the coating stay around the potato balls during frying.
fry · ~15 min
Dip the potato balls and fry the bondas.
1.Heat the oil for deep frying in a deep kadai over medium heat.
2.Dip each potato ball in the batter and coat it fully.
3.Slide a few coated balls into the hot oil without crowding the pan.
4.Fry until golden and crisp, turning gently for even color.
5.Remove with a slotted spoon and drain briefly before frying the next batch.
TIPIf the oil is too hot, the outside browns before the batter cooks through; medium heat gives the best crust.
serve
Serve the urulai bonda hot.

PRO TIPS

What to keep in mind.

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

1
Cool the potato filling fully before shaping, or the balls can crack and loosen inside the batter.
2
Mash the potatoes while they are still warm, but stop before they turn gluey; a few small chunks improve the center texture.
3
Let the mustard seeds splutter completely before adding urad dal so the tempering tastes nutty, not raw.
4
Keep the batter thick enough to cling to the potato ball in one coat; a thin batter gives patchy bondas.
5
Fry on medium heat and turn gently so the besan coating cooks through before the outside gets too dark.
6
Add the baking soda only just before frying for a lighter shell and better puff.
7
You can shape the potato balls a few hours ahead and refrigerate them, then dip and fry right before serving.