Aloo Bondas

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Aloo Bondas are a streetfood from Mumbai (Bombay), sold around beaches and in fast-food restaurants. However, my mother has always made them at home. Batata vadas or Aloo bondas are the Southern and Western Indian versions of the North’s samosas, but they are made with gram flour (besan) rather than wheat flour.

Makes approximately 10-12 potato balls

Ingredients:

Vegetable or sunflower oil for deep frying

½ tsp each brown mustard seeds and turmeric and ¾ tsp salt

1 tsp sugar

2 green finger chillies, finely chopped

600g (1lb 5oz) whote or red potatoes, peeled, boiled and coarsely chopped

30g (1oz) coriander leaves, chopped

¼ tsp each ground cumin and baking powder

150g (5¼oz) gram flour or besan

Preparation:

Heat 1tbsp oil in a heavy-based pan large enough to hold the potatoes. When the oil is hot enough, gently tip in the mustard seeds, then the turmeric, ½ tsp salt, the sugar, and chillies, and mix. Add the potatoes, coarsely mashing as you mix. Add the coriander and potato_cakes_frying_medium

mash to make a lumpy mixture. Remove from the heat and leave to cool.

In a bowl, mix the sifted gram flour with the remaining salt, the cumin and baking powder, 1tsp oil and about 130ml (4½fl oz) cold water to make a batter the consistency of runny honey. Wet your hands and roll the mash into pieces the size of golf balls. Heat the oil in a fryer or wok to 190C/375F. Drop a little batter into the oil: if it sizzles, the oil is hot enough. Dip a few potato balls into the batter and turn to coat them evenly.

With a spoon, drop the coated balls into the hot oil and fry for 4 minutes, or until the outside of the balls is a deep golden brown. Lift them out with a slotted spoon and drain on kitchen paper. Wrap in foil and keep warm while cooking all the potato balls. Serve hot with a coconut or tomato chutney or ketchup.

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