Aloo Bonda (Indian Mashed Potato Fritters)

By stancec44

Mashed potatoes are seasoned with cumin, mustard seeds, curry leaves, ginger, and chile; balls of the aromatic mash are then coated in a turmeric-accented chickpea-flour batter and deep-fried until crisp and golden.

Ingredients

• Aloo Bonda (Indian Mashed Potato Fritters)
• Enlarge
• Ingalls Photography
• cial India issue with Indrani Sen's story The School of Small Bites.
• 32 32 FRITTERS
• Ingredients
• 1 1 1" lb. Yukon Gold potatoes, peeled and cut into 1" pieces
• 3 3 3 tbsp. canola oil, plus more for frying
• 1 1 1 tsp. cumin seeds
• 1 1 1 tsp. ground turmeric
• 1/2 1/2 1/2 tsp. black mustard seeds
• 4 4 4 fresh or frozen curry leaves, minced
• 1 1 1/2") (1 1/2") piece ginger, peeled and minced
• 1 1 1/2 small green Thai chile or 1/2 serrano, minced
• 1/2 1/2 1/2 small yellow onion, minced
• 2 2 2 tbsp. minced cilantro
• 1 1 1 tsp. red chile powder, such as cayenne
• to salt, to taste
• 1 1 1 cup besan (chickpea flour)
• 1/4 1/4 1/4 cups rice flour
• 2 2 2 tbsp. cornstarch
• 1/4 1/4 1/4 tsp. baking soda
• Tamarind and coconut-cilantro chutneys, for serving (optional)

Details

Servings 32
Adapted from saveur.com

Preparation

Step 1

Boil potatoes in a 6-qt. saucepan of water until tender, 12–14 minutes. Drain and transfer to a bowl; using a potato masher, coarsely mash potatoes. Add 3 tbsp. oil to pan; heat over medium-high. Cook cumin seeds, ½ tsp. turmeric, and the mustard seeds until fragrant and seeds begin to pop, 1–2 minutes. Add curry leaves, ginger, chile and onion; cook until golden, 4–6 minutes. Let cool slightly and add to bowl with potatoes. Add cilantro, ½ tsp. chile powder, and salt; using hands, mix until smooth. Divide mixture into thirty-two ½-oz. balls.

Heat 2" oil in a 6-qt. saucepan until a deep-fry thermometer reads 350°. Whisk remaining turmeric and chile powder, the chickpea and rice flours, cornstarch, baking soda, salt, and ½ cup water in a bowl until a smooth batter forms. Working in batches, dip potato balls in batter; fry, turning as needed, until golden and crisp, 1–2 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer aloo bonda to paper towels to drain; season with salt. Serve with coconut-cilantro and tamarind chutneys if you like.