Been a while since you made or came across one of those Veg Snack Recipes with some mixed veggies, yet absolutely crave worthy? Here is a filling and tasty recipe, just for you. This Veg Bonda or Vegetable Bonda is a deep-fried snack of stuffed mixed vegetables coated with a spiced gram flour batter (besan). Makes for a lovely rainy-day snack, with some hot chai or coffee on the side.
About Veg Bonda
Bonda is the quintessential South Indian version of the Vada that are famous in Maharashtra. The ones that are stuffed between pavs, slathered with chutneys and makes for the much-loved Vada Pav on the Mumbai streets. This Veg Bonda is a popular variant to the classic one.
So, the Vegetable Bonda is a variation to the traditional Potato Bonda recipe. As the name suggests, in this recipe, mixed vegetables are added. To make this addictive snack, you can use whichever veggies you like.
I have added carrots, potatoes and green peas in this recipe of Veg Bonda, since I always prefer these 3 veggies.
I do not add French beans as I’m not that in favor of that taste in this recipe. If there is cauliflower, then I add some of it too. You can also add capsicum and beetroot.
This Vegetable Bonda is also a no onion, no garlic recipe. But if you want, you can add onions or garlic or both.
I prepare this Veg Bonda the same way I make the typical potato bonda. Usually, these gets done during the monsoons at my place. Other than this, it is also a great evening snack or can be enjoyed during winters as well.
Serve Vegetable Bonda with Coconut Chutney or coriander chutney or tomato ketchup. I like enjoying it with a side of red chili coconut chutney.
How to make Veg Bonda
Cook Vegetables
1. Take ⅓ cup chopped carrots, 1 cup chopped potatoes and ⅓ cup green peas in a stovetop pressure cooker. Add 1½ cups water.
2. Pressure cook the vegetables on medium heat for 3 to 4 whistles or for 9 to 10 minutes.
When the pressure drops down and settles on its own naturally in the cooker, then only open the lid and check.
You can also cook or steam the vegetables in a steamer or pan.
3. Drain the broth/stock very well in a bowl or pan and transfer the vegetables in a mixing bowl.
Use the broth/stock in which they are cooked to be added to soups, dals, curries or for kneading parathas. This stock can be kept in a covered mug or jar and refrigerated for a couple of days.
4. When the vegetables are still hot or warm, mash them with a potato masher. Do not make the mixture too pasty. Some small chunks of carrots and green peas are fine.
Sauté
5. Heat ½ tablespoon oil in a frying pan. Lower the heat and add ¼ teaspoon mustard seeds.
6. When the mustard seeds begin to crackle, add ¼ teaspoon husked split black gram (urad dal).
7. Allow the lentils to get golden.
8. Once golden, add 1 teaspoon chopped ginger, a pinch of asafoetida, 1 teaspoon chopped curry leaves and 1 chopped green chili.
9. Next, add ⅛ teaspoon turmeric powder (about 2 to 3 pinches of turmeric powder).
10. On low heat, stir and mix well.
Make Vegetable Stuffing
11. Add the mashed vegetables to the tempered and sautéed ingredients.
12. Mix the vegetables with the rest of the ingredients very well.
13. Season with salt as required. Mix again very well.
14. Sauté the mixture on low heat for 1 to 2 minutes.
If there is too much moisture, then you can cook the mixture for a few more minutes.
15. Turn off the heat. Add ½ teaspoon lemon juice and mix well.
Check the taste and add more salt, if required.
16. Now, add 2 tablespoons chopped coriander leaves, mix well and keep aside.
Take this mixture on a separate plate and let it cool down to room temperature before you start making the bonda.
Make Batter
17. In another bowl, take ¾ cup gram flour, 3 tablespoons rice flour, a pinch of turmeric powder, a pinch of asafoetida, ¼ teaspoon red chili powder and salt as required.
18. Add ⅓ cup water.
19. Whisk to a thick flowing and smooth batter. Break lumps, if any, with the wired whisk or spoon.
Check the taste and add more salt, if required.
20. Here is a picture showing the consistency of the batter. Depending on the quality of gram flour, you can add less ore more water.
If the batter becomes too thick, add some water. If the batter gets a medium consistency or is thin, add some more gram flour.
21. Now, add a pinch of baking soda to the batter. Mix very well and keep aside.
You can skip adding baking soda, if you want. Baking soda helps to get a fluffier and lighter texture once the batter gets fried and cooked.
Assemble & Fry Vegetable Bonda
22. Make small to medium-sized balls from the prepared vegetable stuffing.
23. Heat a kadai or pan with oil for deep frying.
Check a small drop of batter in the oil. If it comes up gradually but steadily, then the oil is ready for the bonda to be fried.
24. Take a vegetable ball and dip it in the batter. Gently coat it with the batter.
25. Place the bonda gently in the hot oil.
26. This way just before frying, dip each vegetable ball in the batter and coat evenly with the batter.
Do not over crowd the kadai. Fry 2 to 4 bondas at a time. This will depend on the size of the kadai.
27. On medium heat, fry bondas. When one side is golden, turn over and fry the other side.
28. Fry Vegetable Bonda till crisp and golden all over.
29. Remove the fried bonda with a slotted spoon.
30. Place the fried vegetable bonda on kitchen paper towels to remove extra oil. Prepare all the bonda this way in batches.
31. Serve Veg Bonda hot with coconut chutney or Mint Chutney or tomato sauce.
More Veg Snacks Recipes To Try!
Pakora Recipes
Snacks Recipes
Snacks Recipes
Snacks Recipes
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Veg Bonda | Vegetable Bonda
Ingredients
For cooking veggies
- 50 grams green peas or ⅓ cup green peas
- 50 grams carrots or ⅓ cup chopped carrots
- 150 grams potatoes or 1 cup peeled & chopped potatoes
- 1.5 cups water – for pressure cooking
For tempering
- ½ tablespoon oil – can use sunflower oil or peanut oil or canola oil
- ¼ teaspoon mustard seeds
- ¼ teaspoon urad dal (husked split black gram)
- 1 or 2 green chillies – chopped
- 1 inch ginger – finely chopped or 1 teaspoon finely chopped
- 1 teaspoon curry leaves – chopped or 8 to 10 small to medium curry leaves
- 1 pinch asafoetida (hing)
- ⅛ teaspoon turmeric powder or 2 to 3 pinches
- salt as required
- ½ teaspoon lemon juice (optional)
- 2 tablespoons coriander leaves – chopped
For batter
- ¾ cup gram flour (besan)
- 3 tablespoons Rice Flour
- 1 pinch turmeric
- 1 pinch asafoetida (hing)
- ¼ teaspoon red chilli powder
- salt as required
- ⅓ cup water or add as required
- 1 pinch baking soda
other ingredients
- oil – for deep frying, as required
Instructions
Cooking veggies
- Take the chopped carrots, chopped potatoes and green peas in a stovetop pressure cooker. Also add 1.5 cups water.
- Pressure cook the veggies for 3 to 4 whistles or for 9 to 10 minutes on medium flame. When the pressure settles down on its own and drops naturally in the cooker, then only open the lid and check the veggies.
- Drain the water/broth very well in a bowl or pan and keep the veggies in a mixing bowl. Use the stock/broth in which the veggies were cooked to be added to soups, dals, curries or for kneading parathas.
- When the veggies are still hot or warm, mash them with a potato masher.
Preparing vegetable filling
- Heat ½ tablespoon oil in a frying pan. First add the mustard seeds.
- When the mustard seeds begin to crackle, add the urad dal.
- Allow urad dal to get golden.
- Once the urad dal gets golden, add chopped ginger, a pinch of asafoetida/hing, chopped curry leaves and chopped green chillies.
- Next add turmeric powder. On a low heat stir and mix well.
- Next add the mashed veggies. Mix the veggies with the rest of the tempering ingredients very well.
- Season with salt as required. Mix again very well.
- Sauté the mashed veggies for 1 to 2 minute on a low heat. If there is too much moisture, then you can cook the veggie mixture for a few more minutes.
- Turn off the heat. Add lemon juice and mix well. Check the taste and add more salt if needed.
- Now add 2 tablespoon chopped coriander leaves. Mix well and keep aside. Take this mixture in a separate plate and let it cool down at room temperature before you start making the bonda.
Making batter
- In another bowl, take the besan, rice flour, a pinch of turmeric, a pinch of asafoetida/hing, red chilli powder and salt as required.
- Add water and make a thick flowing batter.
- Whisk to a smooth batter. Break lumps if any with the wired whisk or spoon. Check the taste and add more salt if required.
- Now add a pinch of baking soda to the batter. Mix very well and keep aside.
Frying veg bonda
- Make small to medium sized balls from the veggie stuffing.
- Also heat a kadai or a pan with oil for deep frying.
- Check a small drop of batter in the oil. If it comes up gradually but steadily, then the oil is ready for the bonda to be fried.
- Now take the veggie ball and dip it in the batter. Gently coat it evenly with the batter.
- Place it gently in the hot oil.
- This way just before frying, dip each veggie ball in the batter and coat it well with the batter. Do not over crowd the kadai. Fry 2 to 4 bondas at a time. This will depend on the size of the kadai.
- On a medium heat, fry the vegetable bonda. When one side has become golden, turn over and fry the other side.
- Fry till crisp and golden all over.
- Remove with a slotted spoon.
- Drain them on kitchen paper towels to remove extra oil. Prepare all veg bonda this way in batches.
- Serve Veg Bonda hot with coconut chutney or tomato ketchup.
Notes
- You can also cook or steam the veggies in a steamer or in a pan.
- This broth/stock can be kept in a covered mug or a jar and refrigerated for a couple of days.
- You can skip adding baking soda if you prefer.
- Fry the veg bonda in moderately hot oil.
Nutrition Info (Approximate Values)
This Veg Bonda recipe from the archives was first published on August 2016. It has been updated and republished on May 2024.
