Aloo Bonda happens to be one of my all-time favorite potato snacks. Hence, also referred to as potato bonda, it is nothing but super yummy snack of spiced mashed potatoes, formed into a ball, covered in a gram flour or chickpea flour (besan) batter and deep-fried to perfection. The ingredient list may be a bit long, but the Aloo Bonda Recipe is quite simple and easy to make. It is also not just a filling vegetarian dish but also is vegan-friendly.
About Aloo Bonda
If you are well versed with the popular Maharashtrian Batata Vada, then this Aloo Bonda is the South Indian cousin of the same. Basically, in South India, a ‘bonda’ translates to a ‘ball’ and ‘aloo’ is your staple vegetable, potato. Since the appearance of this dish resembles a ball, hence, the name.
Although the Aloo Bonda Recipe has similarities in terms of texture, looks and mouth-feel, with the batata vada of the Maharashtrian cuisine, the major difference lies in the spices used in the mashed potato mixture.
Also, in the South Indian bonda, rice flour along with gram flour is added in the batter. Whereas in the vada from Maharashtra, rice flour is usually not added in the batter.
You can make a no onion, no garlic version of the Aloo Bonda by just skipping these 2 ingredients from the recipe. Serve this bonda with an earthy coconut chutney, tomato chutney or coriander chutney. A cup of hot tea will also go well with them.
More on Aloo Bonda
There are many other variations of a bonda in South India that have other primary ingredients in them. For instance, apart from the Aloo Bonda, there are also bondas made with cottage cheese (paneer), sweet potato, green peas, tapioca, other vegetables, grated pineapple and even minced meats.
In fact, Indian regional cuisine is rich with many such snacks. In North India, the top list consists of Samosa, Kachori, Dahi Bhalla, etc. Whereas in South India, the list includes idli, masala dosa, medu vada, Mysore Bonda and the likes.
Udupi cuisine of Karnataka is specially known for its variety of bondas. One of the loved variants is the vegetable bonda made with a mixture of veggies like carrot, green peas, French beans and coriander leaves.
The famous street food, Mangalore bonda a.k.a Goli Baje or Mangalore bajji are soft, spongy fritters made with all-purpose flour (maida), coconut, spices and herbs. Thus, also referred to as the maida bonda. In this, basically there’s no stuffing mixture that gets covered with the batter. The entire mixture is dropped in hot oil as small pakodas and fried.
Step-by-Step Guide
How to make Aloo Bonda
Making stuffing
1. First boil 4 to 5 medium size potatoes. Then, peel and mash them while still warm.
2. Heat 1 to 1.5 tablespoons oil in a frying pan. Add 1 teaspoon mustard and 1 or 1.5 teaspoons urad dal, allow the mustard seeds to splutter and the urad dal to turn golden.
3. Add 1 medium size finely chopped onion and sauté till translucent and softened.
4. Now, add 1 teaspoon ginger-garlic paste, 12 to 15 curry leaves and 1 or 2 finely chopped green chilies. Sauté for a minute.
5. Add ½ teaspoon turmeric powder and 1 pinch asafoetida (hing) and stir.
6. Now, add 2 tablespoons chopped coriander leaves and salt as required and stir.
7. Add the sautéed mixture to the mashed potatoes in the bowl.
8. Mix well. f there is moisture in the mashed potatoes, then you can cook the potato mixture for a few minutes. Add ⅓ to ½ teaspoon lemon juice and mix well. Check the seasoning and add more salt, red chili powder or lemon juice, if required.
9. Make small to medium sized balls from this mixture. I usually lightly flatten these balls for ease of frying.
Making batter
10. Take 1 cup gram flour (besan), ¼ cup rice flour, ¼ teaspoon turmeric powder, ½ teaspoon red chili powder, 1 pinch asafoetida (hing), 1 pinch baking soda and salt as required in another mixing bowl.
11. Mix very well and make a thick flowing batter, by adding water as required.
Making Aloo Bonda
12. Heat oil for deep frying in a kadai or pan. Dip each potato ball in the batter and coat it well. Add the batter coated potato balls in medium hot oil.
13. Fry till golden on both sides. Drain Aloo Bonda on kitchen paper towels to remove excess oil.
14. Serve Aloo Bonda hot with coconut chutney or tomato ketchup.
Expert Tips
- Want to make spicier bondas? Then, add a few more green chilies in the potato mixture. If you want, you can also add some red chili powder in the potato mixture.
- You can easily make this recipe without adding any onion or garlic to it.
- After cooking the potato mixture, if you feel there’s still moisture in it, then cook further for a few more minutes.
- Seasonings, spice powders and lemon juice can be adjusted in the potato mixture, according to your taste preferences.
- Once you have shaped the potato mixture into small or medium balls, you can flatten them too before dipping in the batter. This makes it easier to fry them.
More Fried Snacks Recipes To Try!
Pakora Recipes
Snacks Recipes
Pakora Recipes
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Aloo Bonda
This potato bonda is a fried tea time snack from the South Indian cuisine. Aloo bonda is made with gram flour & rice flour batter & stuffed with spiced mashed potato filling.
Prep Time 30 minutes
Cook Time 30 minutes
Total Time 1 hour
Prevent your screen from going dark while making the recipe
making stuffing
First boil the potatoes in a pan or steamer or pressure cooker. Then peel and mash them when still warm.
Heat oil in a frying pan. Add the mustard and urad dal.
Allow the mustard seed to splutter and the urad dal to get golden.
Add the chopped onion and saute till they are translucent and soften.
Now add the ginger-garlic paste, curry leaves and green chilies. Saute for a minute.
Add the turmeric powder, asafoetida and stir. Now add the coriander leaves and stir.
Add the potatoes to this mixture or add this sauted mixture to the potatoes. Stir well.
If there is moisture, then you can cook the potato mixture for a few minutes.
Add lemon juice & salt. Mix well.
Check the seasoning and add more salt or red chili powder or lemon juice if required.
Make medium sized balls from this mixture.
frying aloo bonda
Heat oil for deep frying in a kadai or pan. Dip each potato ball in the batter and coat it well with the batter.
Add the batter coated potato balls in the medium hot oil.
Fry till golden on both sides. Drain them on paper towels to remove excess oil.
Serve aloo bonda hot with coconut chutney or tomato ketchup.
- Seasonings, spice powders and lemon juice can be adjusted in the potato mixture, according to your taste preferences.
- You can easily make this recipe without adding any onion or garlic to it.
- Want to make spicier bondas? Then, add a few more green chilies in the potato mixture. If you want, you can also add some red chili powder in the potato mixture.
This Aloo Bonda Recipe from the archives was first published in April 2014. It has been updated and republished in April 2024.
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