"Methi~Vatana~Aloo Bonda served with "Dhania~Kairi Chutney and Kalingan Juice" ... Delicious~aromatic Batate Ambado (Vada) with addition of fresh green peas and fresh methi leaves along with chatpata Coriander leaves~Raw Mango Chutney and Chilled Watermelon Juice to quench that thirst of rising heat... Enjoy them when they are fresh and hot .......
** Bonda or Vada is a famous fried fritter type dish available throughout India. It is called Batate Ambado by Konkani Saraswats, Batata Bonda in other southern parts of Inda and Aloo Bonda / Vada in Northern parts of India. Ladhi Pav is a bread famous in Maharashtra a rectangular flat bun type bread that has six pieces attached in each ladhi. Each pav is split open and spicy – tangy two types of chutney is applied from within and these deep fried potato vadas are kept within and served with some garlic dry chutney and fried green chillies as accompaniment, And its called “Vada Pav” that has the need of every Mumbaikar when hungry. There are many people in Mumbai, who live eating this Vada Pav as it is a very filling snack and it does keep them going for hours without feeling hunger pangs. Sort of a lifeline for many.
** This dish is available throughout Maharashtra in every nook and corner be it in streets or in small hotels. Every Mumbaikar has relished this at least few times in his lifetime, as for me I almost enjoy it once in every 10-15 days. In my vicinity there is a small Vada Pav seller who sells only these vadas and samosa and he makes them too good and No he does not tell me the inner secret. Sigh I tried many a times to make hime confide his methods but he just keep smiling and tells me “ Aunty aap khvo na, kyon bananekiliye jaraheho ?” Meaning Aunty you just relish it, why you want to take the trouble of preparing. Now what do I tell him, that I want to put it in my Blog. Anyways as it’s the season of fresh methi leaves and fresh green peas, I prepared the Bondas / Vadas with the addition of same and it tasted awesome.
** Here is the simple method to preparing this awesome Vada / Bonda …..
** Ingredients :
** For Inner Filling :
Potatoes / Batata / Aloo : 2 large size.
Fresh Green Peas / Vatana : 1 cup (after shelling)
Fresh Methi / Fenugreek Leaves : 1 cup leaves finely chopped.
Coriander / Dhania Leaves : one handful finely chopped.
Green Chillies / Hirvi Mirchi / Tarni mirsang : 3-4 finely chopped.
Hing / Asafoetida Powder : 1 tsp
Jeera / Cumin Powder : ¼ tsp
Fennel / Badisep / Saunf Powder : ½ tsp
Curry Leaves : 3-4 finely chopped
Salt to taste.
** For Outer Cover Besan Batter :
Besan / Bengal Gram Flour / Chick Peas Flour / Chane peeta : 1 heaped cup
Red Chilly Powder : 1 tblsp (+/- as per individual taste)
Hing / Asafoetida Powder : 1 tsp
Salt to taste
Water : As per requirement
** Plenty of oil for deep frying.
** For the preparation of Inner Filling :
** Wash the potatoes and put it whole with skin in a pressure cooker pan. Add in water and pressure cook to one whistle, lower the heat and cook for 5 minutes and then raise the height and cook to 3 more whistles. The water level should cover the potato at least half height wise. Let the pressure in the cooker fall on its own. When you are able to open the lid, do so allow to cool.
** Wash and chop the methi leaves fine. Put it in a microwave dish after squeezing out as much water as possible and microwave for 2 mins. Do not add in any water. Remove and let cool.
OR
** Put the methi leaves after squeezing out as much water as possible in a kadai, add a pinch of salt and let cook for 3-4 mins on low heat. Keep mixing in between. Remove and let cool.
** Wash put the shelled green peas along with a tablespoon of water in a microwave dish and microwave on high for 3 mins. Remove and let cool.
OR
** Put the peas in a thick bottomed kadai and add ¼ cup of water and cook till all the water is evaporated, say for 5-6 minutes. Allow the cool, do check and see that the peas are cooked.
** In a mixer grinder add in the cooled peas and grind in pulse mode for a few times. Now add in the green chillies and pulse 2-3 times. Add in the methi leaves and coriander leaves, hing, jeera powder, fennel powder, curry leaves and pulse all for about 2-3 minutes.
** Note : Do not grind the above to fine texture. Use pulse mode to get a coarse powdered textured mixture. Finely grinding will not give the desired taste or texture. So be careful when you do the same.
** Now peel off the skin of the pressure cooked potatoes and put it in a large wide bowl. Mash it well. Do not add any water. Add the ground mixture and salt to taste and mix well. See to it the mixture is smooth and well mixed and there are no large lumps of poato, small bits are ok. 
** Now the inner potato filling is ready. Roll into small lemon sized balls and keep this ready aside. The size of the vada / bonda is individual choice. Some like it large while some prefer smaller one’s. I made them small as its loaded with calories and since it’s our favorite, did not want to go overboard. 
** For the outer Covering : The outer covering is the same as the one’s we always prepare for bajias etc. I never much change the ingredients as it is the best. In a bowl add in the besan / bengal gram flour / chane peeta after sieving the same. Sieving the besan will give you a smooth texture mixture or else sometime there is a curdled texture havng small balls of besan that is reluctant to get mixed.
** Add in hing powder, chilly powder, hing powder and salt to taste. Now mix all the powders loosely into a good mix. Now slowly start adding in water and mixing the mixture. Do not add water in one go, keep adding as you require. The batter should actually be semi thick and should coat the back of a spoon when you dip a spoon and bring it out. Then the mixture is ready.
** For Deep Frying : When you start preparing the out covering keep plenty of oil in a thick bottomed kadai. Bring the oil to smoking heat. Once the oil comes to full heat lower the heat and wait for 3-4 mins before you add in the bonda / vadas for deep frying otherwise if you put them in too hot smoking oil, the outside batter will get burnt immediately and not cook properly.
** Roll the prepared potato balls in the covering and roll it all round till it gets coated evenly with the batter. You may use a large sized spoon for the same. Now gently put the coated potato balls into the hot oil one by one till you add in the required number of vadas. Do not add too many there should be enough space for the vadas to get cooked.
** Keep the heat of the oil on medium to hot and fry by turning the vadas often till you get an evenly browned vadas / bondas. The heat of the oil should be constantly maintained at the same temperature for properly fried bondas or else the bondas will turn soggy. So see to it that if the oil cool, make the temperature slightly higher and vice versa. Also keep mixing with a ringed spatula.
** Once done remove with the help of the spatula seeing to it that the excess oil gets dropped back into the kadai. Place the fried vadas in an absorbent paper for the excess oil to get drained off. Repeat the process with remaining potato balls by dipping in batter and adding to oil. Fry in the same manner till required number of Vada / Bondas are done.
** "Methi~Vatana~Aloo Bonda” is done and ready to be served. Always serve the bonda / vadas hot as they taste the best when they are hot and steam coming out of the vadas as you bit on them. Serve the vada with any chutney of your choice. I served with "Dhania~Kairi Chutney” along with some “Kalingan / Watermelon Juice" to my guest and they really were happy with the twist in the vada by addition of fresh methi leaves. Do try this out and enjoy with your family and friends.
** For the Dhania~Kairi Chutney Recipe, Please follow the link given below …
** You can use the search option for "Chutney" where you will get many more varities of chutney that can be prepared to serve the vada. Do try out various types of dishes to relish with dosa / Idly / roti etc. or with dal-chawal too. Enjoy the dishes with your family and friends and do give me a feedback if possible.
** An Earnest Request : There are many more recipes of similar type in the blog. For all my Recipes, use the search option or the label section in the Blog. If you are still not able to find it please leave a message in comment section or mail me the same. You can also go to my page (add on the left side of blog) and leave a message and I will try my best to get back to you as soon as possible … Thank you. I have also started a food group for "Konkani Saraswats" by the name "KONKANI DELICACIES" the link of which is posted on the left side of the blog page. Do join us in our culinary journey. I strongly believe in Sharing and always endorse that "Sharing Is Caring".
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