Bonda is a versatile dish which can easily fit into any meal plan.It is a star among the many side dishes served with lunch or dinner on festive occasions . It is served as an evening snack (tiffin) with coffee in weddings. It is a non messy dish which comes in handy to welcome guests. It is a much sought after starter in parties. Children love this snack when served at their birthday parties.
Each region comes out with a specific recipe for preparing delicious Bondas. Here are a few of the most common ones which I prepare at home
MYSORE BONDA
INGREDIENTS
Split black gram dal - 1 cup
Chopped green chillies- 1 tsp
Finely chopped fresh ginger - 1 tsp
Curry leaves - a few
Coarsely crushed black pepper - 1/2 tsp
Cumin seeds - 1 tsp
Chopped ( not grated) fresh coconut - 1 tbsp
Asafoetida - 1 pinch
salt - 1/2 tsp
Oil for frying
METHOD
1. Soak dal for half an hour and grind to a thick and smooth paste.
2. Mix in the salt, and blend all other ingredients together.
3. Heat a liberal quantity of oil in a kadai. If the oil is less the bondas will stick together or they will "sit" at the bottom of the kadai and get burnt.
4. Scoop out a ball of batter and gently drop into the hot oil.
5. Dip your hands in a bowl of water every time, before scooping out the bonda batter so that it easily slides into the oil.
6. Slide in six scoops of batter and reduce flame and spray hot oil over the bondas using the perforated ladle.
7. Flip the bondas when the bottom of the bondas start changing colour.
8.Cook till the bondas become evenly golden brown in colour on all sides.
9. Remove the bondas and drain on a paper towel.
Relish the piping hot Mysore Bondas with coconut chutney.
MANGALOORU BONDA
INGREDIENTS 
Maida ( Plain flour) - 1 cup
Sour curds - 1 cup
Salt - 1/2 tsp
Chopped onoin- 2 tbsps
Minced green chillies - 1/4 tsp
Minced fresh ginger - 1/4 tsp
Minced coconut (Optional) - 1 tbsp
Curry leaves - a few
METHOD
1. Blend all the ingredients into a smooth batter.
2. Add more curds if required to get a thick idly batter consistency.
3. Heat oil and drop the batter in small scoops.
4. Fry the bondas till they are golden brown in colour, adjusting the intensity of the flame.
Relish Mangalooru Bondas with flavoursom coconut and fried gram chutney.
BOMBAY BONDA
This bonda is cooked with a potato filling and is also known as Alu Bonda.
INGREDIENTS FOR FILLING
Potatoes -4 big ones
Mustard seeds - 1 pinch
Cumin seeds - 1/4 tsp
Red chilly powder - 1/4 tsp
Dania powder - 1/4 tsp
Turmeric powder - 1 pinch
Asafoetida - 1 pinch
Grated fresh ginger - 1 tsp
Curry leaves - a few
Coriander leaves - a few
Cashew nuts - a few
Salt - 3/4 tsp
Juice of one lime.
Oil - 2 tbsps
METHOD FOR FILLING
1. Cook potatoes in a pressure cooker.
2. Remove the skin and crumble the potatoes when cooled.
3. Mix salt into the lime juice in a cup and keep aside.
4. Heap chilly powder, coriander powder and turmeric powder on top of the crumbled potatoes at one point.
5. Heat oil in a pan and add mustard seeds.
6. When the mustard splutters add cashew nuts and roast them to a golden colour.
7. Add cumin seeds, grated ginger and then the curry leaves followed by asafoetida.
8. Pour the hot oil and seasoning over the heap of spice powders on the potato.
9. Add salt and lime juice mixture, chopped coriander leaves and blend well.
10. Make lemon size balls out of the potato filling and keep aside.
INGREDIENTS FOR BATTER
Besan ( Bengal gram dal flour) - 2 cups
Rice flour - 1 tbsp
Chilly powder - 1/4 tsp
Salt - 1/4 tsp
Curds - 1 tbsp
oil - for frying
METHOD
1. Blend all the ingredients together except oil, adding the required amount of water to make a thick batter.
2. Heat 2 table spoons of oil separately and pour into the batter and blend well.
3. Allow the batter to stand for 20 minutes.
4. Heat the oil in a kadai for frying the bondas.
5.Coat a potato ball completely with the batter by dipping it into the prepared batter, and drop it gently into the hot oil.
6. Drop in 6 to 8 batter coated potato balls into the hot oil and reduce flame.
7. Splash hot oil on top of the bondas using the perforated ladle.
8. Gently cook the bondas turning them over now and then until they become golden brown in colour.
9. Remove when done and drain on a paper towel.
Relish the sizzling hot Bombay Bondas with mint chutney or any other chutney or sauce of your choice.
3. Mix salt into the lime juice in a cup and keep aside.
4. Heap chilly powder, coriander powder and turmeric powder on top of the crumbled potatoes at one point.
5. Heat oil in a pan and add mustard seeds.
6. When the mustard splutters add cashew nuts and roast them to a golden colour.
7. Add cumin seeds, grated ginger and then the curry leaves followed by asafoetida.
8. Pour the hot oil and seasoning over the heap of spice powders on the potato.
9. Add salt and lime juice mixture, chopped coriander leaves and blend well.
10. Make lemon size balls out of the potato filling and keep aside.
INGREDIENTS FOR BATTER
Besan ( Bengal gram dal flour) - 2 cups
Rice flour - 1 tbsp
Chilly powder - 1/4 tsp
Salt - 1/4 tsp
Curds - 1 tbsp
oil - for frying
METHOD
1. Blend all the ingredients together except oil, adding the required amount of water to make a thick batter.
2. Heat 2 table spoons of oil separately and pour into the batter and blend well.
3. Allow the batter to stand for 20 minutes.
4. Heat the oil in a kadai for frying the bondas.
5.Coat a potato ball completely with the batter by dipping it into the prepared batter, and drop it gently into the hot oil.
6. Drop in 6 to 8 batter coated potato balls into the hot oil and reduce flame.
7. Splash hot oil on top of the bondas using the perforated ladle.
8. Gently cook the bondas turning them over now and then until they become golden brown in colour.
9. Remove when done and drain on a paper towel.
Relish the sizzling hot Bombay Bondas with mint chutney or any other chutney or sauce of your choice.
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