Spicy Aloo Bonda

Spicy Aloo Bonda is a beloved South Indian snack, perfect for tea-time or as a light evening treat. With a crisp outer layer and a warm, spiced potato filling, it’s especially popular in Tamil Nadu and Karnataka-served hot at roadside stalls, homes, and tiffin counters.

The filling is made from boiled and mashed potatoes sautéed in a tempering of mustard seeds and cumin seeds, followed by finely chopped ginger, garlic, green chilies, and curry leaves. Once the raw smell fades, chopped onions, turmeric powder, asafoetida, and salt are added. Everything is sautéed together until well blended and aromatic. The masala is then allowed to cool slightly and shaped into small, firm balls.

The outer batter is prepared by mixing gram flour (besan) with a little rice flour, which gives the bonda its signature crispness. To this, turmeric, red chili powder, asafoetida, and salt are added, along with enough water to form a thick, smooth batter that clings well to the potato balls.

Each ball is dipped into the batter and deep-fried in hot oil until golden and crisp on all sides. The result is a crunchy, flavorful snack with a soft, spicy center.

Spicy aloo bondas are best enjoyed fresh and hot, served with coconut chutney, green chutney, or even plain as they are. Paired with a cup of tea or filter coffee, they are pure South Indian comfort-simple, satisfying, and full of flavor.

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Spicy Aloo Bonda

Author: Ushadevi

Difficulty: Beginner Prep Time 10 mins Cook Time 20 mins Total Time 30 mins

Servings: 5

Best Season: Suitable throughout the year, Rain, Winter

Ingredients

Scale

1/2x 1x 2x 3x

• 1 cup Besan flour
• ¹⁄₄ cup Rice flour
• ¹⁄₂ teaspoon Turmeric powder
• 1 teaspoon Chilly powder
• ¹⁄₂ teaspoon Salt
• ¹⁄₄ teaspoon Asafoetida
• 1 ¹⁄₂ teaspoon Oil + more for Frying
• 1 teaspoon Mustard seeds
• 1 spring Curry leaves
• 4 Green Chillies chopped
• ¹⁄₂ teaspoon Garlic crushed
• ¹⁄₂ teaspoon Ginger crushed
• 3 Onion Chopped
• 3-4 Potato

Instructions

1. Bonda comes in two main varieties — spicy and sweet — and today we’re making the traditional South Indian spicy version, also known as Potato Bonda or Aloo Bonda.
2. Begin by cooking 4 to 5 medium-sized potatoes until soft, then peel and mash them thoroughly and keep aside.
3. In a pan, heat about one and a half tablespoons of oil and add mustard seeds; when they start to splutter, add curry leaves, chopped green chillies, crushed ginger, and crushed garlic, sautéing everything for a few seconds until the raw aroma disappears.
4. Add finely chopped onions and continue sautéing until they turn soft and lightly golden, then sprinkle in some turmeric powder and mix well.
5. Now add the mashed potatoes to the mixture and combine everything thoroughly, making sure the masala is evenly mixed; set this aside to cool.
6. To make the outer batter, mix together one cup of besan (gram flour), a quarter cup of rice flour, a quarter teaspoon of turmeric powder, one teaspoon of chilli powder, a pinch of asafoetida, and salt as needed, then slowly add water and whisk into a smooth, thick batter that will coat the potato balls well.
7. Heat enough oil in a deep pan for frying, and while the oil heats, shape the prepared potato masala into small lemon-sized balls.
8. Dip each potato ball into the batter, coat it fully, and gently slide it into the hot oil; fry a few at a time on medium flame until they turn crisp and golden on all sides.
9. Once fried, remove the bondas from the oil and drain them on paper towels to remove excess oil.
10. Serve the hot and crispy potato bondas with coconut chutney, tomato chutney, or as a delicious tea-time snack.