Khara Boondi (Savory Fried Balls)

This is a savory snack which actually originated in Rajasthan which is a state in India. It is a snack and you can munch on it as and when you feel like. It is very simple to make yet delicious. The technique of making the boondi is fun. It involves pouring the batter over a slotted ladle to get the balls. Fascinating right!

Serves - 6

Preparation Time - 20 minutes

Ingredients:

Garbanzo bean flour/ Chickpea flour/ Besan - 1 cup

Rice flour - ½ cup

Baking soda - 1 tiny pinch

Salt As needed

Coarse Pepper powder - 2 tsp (If you want it less spicy you can skip this)

Garlic 4 flakes

Cashew nuts - 6 - 8 (optional)

Ground nuts - 2 tbslp (optional)

Curry leaves - 1 sprig

Tools:

Slotted Laddle

Laddle with rounded base or a spoon

Mix gram flour, rice flour, cooking soda and salt well (sieve if possible).

Add water gradually to make a batter. It should be a smooth batter with no lumps.

Add red chilli powder and pepper powder at this stage.

The batter should be of texture such that it can flow through holes in the laddle smoothly.

Heat oil in a pan for deep frying. It should be on medium high.

Fry a drop of batter and test it in the oil.

If it immediately rises up then the oil is perfect for frying.

Pour one ladle of batter over the ladle with hole holding it just above the oil and spread it with spoon.

Deep fry till the balls are golden brown. Te ball will puff up.

Transfer the boondi on an absorbent paper. Garnish it with curry leaves, ground nuts and cashew.