About:

Bondas are dumplings of spiced mashed potatoes coated with gram flour batter and deep fried but here I choosed to bake them. They tasted as good as deep fried. These bondas can be enjoyed on its own with some sauce/dips as an appetizer/snacks or it can also be served in the bun as a vada pav.

Vada pav is an Indian burger where the spice potato dumplings are sandwiched between the two sliced of bun. I used green chutney and tamarind chutney to spread on the brown bun. It can be personalised with any of your favourite spread and toppings.

Enjoy this healthy appetizer.

Yields: 10-12 bondas
Preparation time: 20-25 minutes
Baking time: 30 minutes

Ingredients:

For potato stuffing:

• Potatoes-3medium
• Frozen peas-1/4cup
• Green chilli paste-2chillies
• Garlic paste-1tsp
• Turmeric-1/4tsp
• Salt- to taste
• Chopped coriander- 2tbsp

For the batter:

• Besan/ gram flour/chickpeas flour-1/4cup
• Corn starch/rice flour-2tsp
• Chilli powder-1/4tsp
• Baking soda- a pinch
• Salt-1/4tsp
• Carom seeds-1tsp
• Oil- for baking

For vada pav:

• Whole meal buns-4
• Mint chutney-to spread
• Sweet chutney-to spread
• Chopped onion-1/2
• Roasted peanuts-2-3tbsp
• Lemon juice-to taste

Procedure:

• Wash and pierce potatoes with knife/fork .
• Heat water in a pot and add in pierced potatoes , peas and cook until tender-15-18minutes.
• Once cooked drain and take the potatoes in a bowl and mash using potato masher (I mashed it with the skin on but you can peel if desired)
• Once mashed add in peas, salt, chilli paste, garlic paste, chopped coriander, salt, turmeric and mix well until well combined , form a lemon sized dumplings and set aside.

For batter:

• Sieve gram flour, corn starch/rice flour, salt, chilli powder in a mixing bowl
• Add in carom seeds and water few tablespoons at a time until it forms a batter (not too thin nor thick-it should be thick enough to coat so thick buttermilk consistency).

For baking:

• Pre-heat the oven at 180deg C, line the mini muffin/muffin tray with muffin cases and set aside.
• Now drop each potato dumplings in the prepared batter rotate to coat well and place in the lined muffin tray. Repeat with the remaining dumplings.
• Once done spray / drizzle some oil and bake in the pre-heated oven for 20-25minutes/until slightly golden brown in colour (baking time may vary from appliance to appliance)

Serving:

• Cut one bun into 2pieces, spread mint chutney on one side, sweet chutney on the other side.
• Place vada on one side and top with onion, peanuts, drizzle some lemon juice, coriander cover it with another piece of bun and serve.

Note:

• Garlic chutney can also be used if desired.