Alu Bonda - Batata Vada

4 potatoes – boiled and peeled
2 onions
3 Chilies
1” ginger
Few curry leaves
2 scoops besan (senaga pindi)
1/4 scoop rice flour
1/4 tsp red chili powder
1/2 tsp vammu

This is a 2 step procedure. First make the potato stuffing and let cool. Then mix the outer layer for the bonda and fry.
Potato stuffing:
Take 2 tsp of oil in a non stick pan and make thadaka- poppu with ½ tsp urud dal, ½ tsp channa dal, few mustard seeds, jeera and hing. Then add chopped onion, chili, ginger, curry leaves and salt. After the onion turns light brown – transparent add peeled and mashed potatoes, turmeric and 2 tsp of lemon juice. Let cool and then make small round balls and keep ready.
For the covering:
Mix besan, rice flour and ½ tsp red chili powder and vammu along with salt with water. Batter should have semi solid consistency.
Heat oil in a kadai (I personally prefer a traditional concave shape kadai for maximum usage of space with less oil) and never let the oil be screaming hot! It burns the first batch.
Drop a spoon of hot oil in the mixture; this will make the fried item light. A pinch of cooking or baking soda can also be used.
Pick each ball of potato, dip in the dough and gently drop in oil. Keep turning back and forth so it will not burn.
Once they all turn golden yellow, it’s time to remove from the oil. Place them on paper towels so the excess oil is absorbed.