Tapioca bonda (vada)

• Servings: 4
• Preparation time: 15-20 minutes.
• Preparing masala time: 6-7 minutes.
• Frying time: 6-7 minutes(each batch).
• Total time: 34 minutes.

“Tapioca bonda (vada)”: A Crispy South Indian Snack with a Twist

At our Kudankulam house, we are fortunate to have many tapioca plants, and the soil there is especially well-suited for their growth. With such abundance, tapioca naturally became a staple ingredient in my kitchen experiments. Over time, I tried cooking many recipes using tapioca as the base, for example Tapioca Capsicum and Paneer ki Sabji, Tapioca Fry, Tapioca ki Sabji, Tapioca Sandwich, Stuffed Tapioca Paratha, Garlicy Tapioca Fry, Tapioca and Capsicum Fry, Tapioca ka Chokha, Tapioca Samosa, etc. each bringing out a new flavour and texture.

What began as a humble crop from our garden has now turned into a source of innovative recipes that combine tradition with creativity, making tapioca a true star on our dining table.

Tapioca bonda (vada); a tea-time snack, spiced with green chilies, ginger, and curry leaves, the filling carries the essence of South Indian kitchens, while the deep-fried shell adds that indulgent crunch. Served hot with Coconut Chutney or a cup of masala chai.

Tapioca improves digestion, lowers cholesterol; Improves metabolic activities, Protects heart and prevent Alzheimer’s and maintains fluid balance within the body.

Ingredients:

For outer layer:

• Besan (gram flour): half cup
• Salt: ¼ teaspoon
• Turmeric powder: ¼ teaspoon
• Chilli powder: ½ teaspoon
• Ajwain (carom seeds): half teaspoon
• Meetha soda (Soda bi carb): 1 pinch
• Water: half cup

For bonda/vada:

• Tapioca: 1 cup
• Mustard seed: ¼ teaspoon
• Salt: 1 teaspoon
• Red chilli: 1 no.
• Curry leaves: 8-10 leaves
• Fresh coconut: ¼ no.
• Garlic: 2-3 flakes
• Madras onion: 4-5 no.

Preparation:

1. Peel out the outer layer of tapioca with knife.
2. Chop the tapioca roughly. Put it into the water.
3. Boil tapioca along with double quantity of water and salt, either in pressure cooker or in microwave, mash it roughly. Keep aside.
4. Peel off garlic and onion, Chop into small pieces. Keep aside.
5. Take a bowl. Put Besan and all ingredients of outer layer make a smooth batter with water. Keep aside.

Method:

1. Take a fry pan, Put oil in it, when smoke begins to come, add mustard seed, and sputter it for few seconds then add whole red chilli and garlic and stir it, wait for few seconds.
2. Add onion, cook till it becomes light brown in colour, add curry leaves, and stir it.
3. Add mashed tapioca and scraped coconut, fry for couple of minutes, Put off the flame. Transfer into serving bowl.
4. Now, tapioca masala is ready. Allow it be cool.
5. Divide this tapioca masala into 8-10 parts, Make round shape as shown in photo. Keep aside.

Deep fries the tapioca ball:

1. Take kadhai (fry pan), heat oil in it.
2. Let oil to smoke. Pour a drop of batter into the oil.
3. If batter comes up slowly, it means right temperature of oil otherwise wait for a while and test again.
4. After getting right temperature of oil, dip ball into batter. (Either helps of your hand or spoon)
5. Deep fry on medium flame all prepared ball, till golden brown. Keep aside.
6. Yummy Tapioca bonda (vada) is ready for tea time or any time for children as well as adult.

   

   

   

   

   

   

   

   

   

   

   

   

   

   

   

   

Tapioca bonda (vada) by Nag Ratna Sahu is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.