These are delicious snacks - Southern Indian in origin, but eaten all over the country now.  I am hosting my book club tomorrow night, and we just read The Mango Season by Amulya Malladi, so I thought some Southern Indian snacks were in order.  I just made the potato filling, and will dip them in the besan batter and fry them just before my friends arrive

Aloo Bondas

Makes 15 - 20 bondas

Potato Filling

5 medium potatoes (about 1.5 lbs), boiled until very soft

1/2 t turmeric

1/2 t good curry powder, preferably homemade and fresh

2-3 T vegetable oil

3/4 t black mustard seeds

1 1/2 t split white gram beans (urad dal)

1 cup chopped onion

3-5 hot green chilies (I use serrano), chopped 

Juice of 1/2 lemon

2 t coarse salt, or to taste

4 t fresh chopped cilantro

Batter

1 1/2 cups besan (gram flour)

2 T rice flour (or more besan if you don't have)

1/4 t cayenne pepper

3/4 t baking powder

1/4 t coarse salt, or to taste

1 1/3 warm water (about 110F), or more as needed

To Fry

Peanut or canola oil to fill pan or deep fat fryer to depth of three inches

Method

Peel the boiled potatoes and crush them to create coarse mashed potatoes. Blend in the turmeric and curry powder.

Measure out the spices, onions, and chilies in separate piles.  Have them ready by the stove... 

Heat the oil, and add mustard seeds.  When they begin to splutter, add the urad dal and fry, shaking the pan to help them along.  When they are golden brown (about 30 seconds), add the onions and chilies, and cook them until the onions start to look limp (about four minutes).  

Add the mashed potato mixture, and stir well.  You will stir this often until the potatoes start to relax a little and also brown, so maybe five minutes.  Turn off the heat and add the lemon juice, salt, and cilantro.  Mix this very well, and set aside to cool.  Once the mixture is cool enough to handle, roll into little balls, about 1" in diameter.          Mix the batter ingredients, adding the water carefully so that we have a thick, pancake-like batter.  Set this aside, covered.  

When you are fully ready to fry, heat the oil in your vessel of choice, and when very hot (375F), dip the bondas into your batter, let the excess batter drop off, and add the bondas, just a few at a time so they are not crowded. Fry them turning often, about three - five minutes, until they are golden brown.  Remove them carefully, place on paper towels to drain, then add more bondas to the hot oil, and continue until you are done.

Serve with a variety of chutneys and sauces, including tamarind.