Ethapazham Bonda/Sweet Bonda

Ethapazham Bonda/Sweet Bonda

Bonda is a perfect tea time snack, crispy deep-fried balls with a spicy masala filling. South Indians love their fried food and bonda and chutney is a delightful combo. The recipe I am sharing today is a sweet version. It is made with sweet ripe plantains and jaggery is insanely addictive. Deep-fried goodness with the enticing flavor of plantains, ghee, and cardamom- now does that not sound appetizing? These bondas are a delightful snack that you cannot stop munching. Just like regular bondas it is crispy on the sides and still quite soft inside the fitter. It goes well with hot piping tea.

This is a no-fuss recipe and is easy to whip up. Look at the list of ingredients for sweet bonda. You would usually have these ingredients in your pantry. The sweet filling is made with ripe plantains, coconut, jaggery, and semolina/rava. The batter consists of all-purpose flour and gram flour. The filling is laced with the aroma of ghee and cardamom. Good coconut oil makes all the difference. So if possible use coconut oil for authentic and homey South Indian flavor. This recipe is very similar to Kerala Sukhiyan recipe. The filling for Sukhiyan is sweet mung bean. Here we are using ripe plantains instead.

I make this whenever I have overripe plantains sitting on the counter. Yes, plantains that are overly ripe to make fitters. Well mash them up and use to make a filling for sweet bonda. It is a quick and simple one and will be loved by both young and old. Try this recipe, you will surely love it.

Recipe for Ethapazham Bonda

Cooking time- 25 minutes
Recipe type- snack
Cuisine- Kerala

Ingredients
Ripe Plantain -3
Coconut grated- 3/4 cup
Rava- 1/3 cup
Jaggery grated-3/4 cup
Cardamon -5
Cashew nuts-6-7
Raisins-  a few
Nutmeg powder- a pinch (optional)
Ghee- 2 tsp


For the batter

Maida/All purpose flour- 1/2 cup
Gram flour- 1/2 cup
Rice flour-2 tbs (optional)
Sugar-1 tsp
salt- a pinch
baking powder- a pinch
oil for frying
To make the filling

Grate plantain or mash it with your hands. 

Melt jaggery or palm sugar in a pan with two 1/4 cup water. When all the jaggery melts, switch off the flame. Strain and set aside.

Heat ghee in a pan and roast cashew nuts and raisins, drain and keep aside.

In the same pan roast Rava/ semolina and coconut till it is golden brown. Add the grated plantain and saute for about two minutes. Pour melted jaggery and let it cook and come together like a ball. Allow this mixture to cool. Add cardamom powder, nutmeg, and the roasted cashew nuts and raisins. Mix well and make small lemon sized balls and keep aside.

To make bondas

Mix all the ingredients listed under batter. Add enough water to make a smooth batter not so thick and not so thin( idli batter consistency).

Heat oil in a pan and when it's hot enough take balls one at a time and dip into the batter and carefully drop into oil. Fry till all sides are evenly browned up. Drain on paper towel. Serve as a tea time snack.

You might also like,
Pazham Pori
Ethapazham Aval Nanachathu
Ethapazham Paal Curry
Kaya Pola/ Plantain Cake
Sweet Kozhukatta
Kadachakka Ethapazham Stew


Try this..
Hope you will all enjoy