Samiyan Bonda
Indegrients
150g wheat vermicelli (roasted)
Finely chopped – 1 medium size onion & potato, 1 small green chili, small piece of ginger and few cilantro leaves (optional)
½ tsp. mustard seeds, 1 tsp. cumin seeds, ½ tsp. of turmeric
2-3 tbsp. of coriander-mint chutney (available from Indian grocery)
2-3 tbsp. of tomato paste
1 tbsp. cashew (optional) crushed into small pieces and fried a little
150g cornflour
Oil for deep frying
chili powder & salt as per taste
Method:
Put vermicelli in a bowl and pour hot water so that it just immerses. Sprinkle some salt and mix once. Keep for 2-3 minutes and drain leaving a little water in it. In a frying pan heat 2 tbsp. of oil, fry cumin and mustard seeds till they sizzle. Put cut onion and potato, green chili, ginger and coriander leaves. Fry till potato is tender. Add tomato paste and turmeric. Fry this again a little. To this add drained vermicelli noodles. Let it cook on a low flame till vermicelli becomes soft (slightly sticky but not pasty) leaving no water. Add coriander-mint chutney. Add crushed cashews (optional). Add chili powder to your taste. Mix well and lightly shape into dough of vermicelli mixture so that small balls (bonda) can be made with hand from this mixture. Make medium size balls. Heat oil for frying. Meantime make a thick batter of cornflour using very little water. Coat vermicelli balls with cornflour batter and deep fry until brown.
Serve hot with tomato sauce.
Alternate Options: You can use leftover samiyan upma and make balls (bonda) from it. Use rice flour or chickpea flour batter instead of cornflour.
Healthy Suggestions:
1.Use cut vegetables such as carrot, potato, beans and finely cut ‘paneer’ pieces.
2. Instead of frying bonda in oil try wrapping bonda around with a pastry sheet and then baking in an oven.
Subbalakshmi Yerramilli