Kara Boondi Mixture – Spicy Boondi, a simple deep fried tea time snack prepared from chickpea flour batter, which is then mixed with roasted nuts and curry leaves. It’s also a popular South Indian snack made specially during Diwali.
Kara Boondi Mixture prepared with simple ingredients to make a spicy and crunchy snack. An easy to make recipe that lasts for a couple of weeks in an airtight container. With a few tips and tricks and easy to follow video, this recipe should be a breeze for you to prepare at home even if you are a beginner.
The consistency of the batter plays an important role in the making of kara boondi or even making boondi for ladoo. The batter is passed through filter spoon which helps to shape the boondi pearls. Consistency has to be right to ensure that the boondi holds it’s round shape and fries up crisp for masala boondi recipe.
Frankly, Kara Boondi Mixture is not my favourite, but my husband loves it!! I would make it only when I make boondi ladoo or need it for boondi raita or I sometimes even use it garnish curd vadas. Without a doubt, I’m definitely more partial to it’s sweet version!! That doesn’t mean that Kara Boondi is any less tastier than its sweet cousin….. It is just that I have a big sweet tooth ????.
Steps to make Kara Boondi Mixture:
How to make boondi batter?
1- These are all the ingredients you will need.
2- In a bowl, sift together chickpea flour (besan) and rice flour. To this, add salt, a pinch of cooking soda, turmeric powder, asafoetida (hing), and half of the Red Chilli Powder. Mix well until combined. Ensure the powders get mixed well without any big lumps (Sifting helps).
3- Gradually add water and whisk to a smooth batter. The consistency should be neither too thick nor too runny.
4- Do have a look at the video to get an exact idea about the consistency.
Oil Test:
Heat oil for deep frying until smoking point. For the oil test, drop a pinch of the batter into hot oil. It must rise to the top immediately. This means that the oil is ready for deep drying.
How to check right consistency of the batter?
To check batter consistency, do the following test: Once oil is ready for deep frying, dip the stem of a spoon into the batter and let a few drops fall into the hot oil.
- When the boondi turns out in round shapes, then it’s perfect.
- If the boondis are flat, it means that the batter is too watery. To fix that, add 1-2 teaspoons of besan and mix well.
- If the boondis form tails, the batter is too thick. So, add more water, little at a time and mix well.
Frying Boondi:
5- Once the oil and batter are ready, prepare your boondi ladle (as shown in photo). If you don’t have a boondi ladle, you can also use a wide slotted spoon.
6- Hold the boondi ladle over the hot oil and pour the batter gently over it. Don’t tap the ladle, hold it steady letting the batter fall through the holes drop by drop into the hot oil
When is the right time to remove Boondi from Oil?
7- Fry the boondi until golden brown. Note that we are looking for a crunchy texture unlike for Boondi Ladoo. Drain and transfer to a bowl lined with a paper towel.
NOTE: Before proceeding with the next batch, wipe the bottom of the ladle to ensure no batter is blocking the holes in the ladle and also the oil should aging be smoking hot. Continue with the next batch of boondi and keep going until the batter is all done.
8- Wash and dry few strands of curry leaves. Ensure that the leaves are still on the stem, this makes it easier to fry the leaves. Once done frying the boondi, turn off the heat and immediately dunk the curry leaf strand into the hot oil. When crisp, drain and add to the boondi.
Do the same with the peanuts and cashew nuts. Fry until golden brown, drain and add to the boondi.
Add the remaining red chilli powder to the boondi mix and adjust salt. Toss well to combine.
Cool down completely and store in an airtight container for up to 2 weeks.
Kara Boondi Mixture - Masala Boondi Recipe | Spicy Boondi
Ingredients
To make Boondi:
- 1 Cup Besan, Chickpea flour/gram flour
- 3 tbsp Rice Flour
- ¼ tsp Salt
- A Pinch of Cooking Soda
- ¼ tsp Turmeric Powder
- ½ tsp Red Chilli Powder, divided
- ¼ tsp Asafoetida, Hing
To make Boondi Mixture:
- 2 Sprigs Curry Leaves, wash & dry
- 2 tbsp Peanuts
- 10 Cashews
- Salt, to taste
- Oil, for deep frying
Instructions
Boondi Batter:
- In a bowl, sift together chickpea flour (besan) and rice flour. To this, add salt, asafoetida (hing), and half of the chilli powder. Mix well.
- Gradually add water and whisk to a smooth batter. The right consistency should be neither too thick nor too runny.
Making Boondi Mixture:
- Heat oil for deep frying until smoking point. For the oil test, drop a pinch of the batter into hot oil. It must rise to the oil immediately. This means that the oil is ready for deep drying.
- Once the oil and batter are ready, prepare your boondi ladle (as shown in photo). If you don't have a boondi ladle, you can use also use a slotted spoon.
- Hold the boondi ladle over the hot oil and pour the batter gently over it. Don't tap the ladle, hold it steady letting the batter fall through the holes drop by drop into the hot oil
- Fry the boondi until golden brown. We are looking for a crunchy texture. Drain and transfer to a bowl lined with a paper towel.
- Continue with the next batch and keep going until the batter is all done.
- Once done frying the boondi, turn the heat off and immediately dunk the curry leaf strand into the hot oil. When crisp, drain and add to the boondi.
- Do the same with the peanuts and cashew nuts. Fry nuts until golden brown, drain and add to the boondi. Add the remaining chilli powder, adjust salt and toss well to combine.
- Cool down completely and store in an airtight container for up to 2 weeks.
Recipe Video
Notes
- Batter consistency is very important to get perfect round boondi. So be very careful while adding water.
- When making the boondi, if they form a tail, then the batter is too thick. Add little bit of water and try.
- When making the boondi, if they fall flat instead of a round balls, then the batter is too thin. Add little bit of chickpea flour and try.
- If you find, the boondi is not dropping, just tap the perforated laddle for the batter to drop as rounds by itself or spread it in circular motion with another laddle as shown in the video.
- Turn off the heat while frying the curry leaves. Else they might burn easily.
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Cheers!!
Padma
Good guidance for beginners