Aloo bonda, also known as batata vada, aloo bada or potato vada, is a savoury potato fritter with a soft spiced filling and a gram flour coating. Traditionally it is deep fried, but you can also make air fryer batata vada with much less oil.
For this easy version, I mash boiled potatoes and mix them directly with ginger, green chilli and spices before shaping. The potato filling is not cooked again or tempered. This keeps the method simple and different from my air fryer vada pav, where the potato mixture is cooked with a mustard seed and curry leaf tempering.
Jump to:
- What is aloo bonda or batata vada?
- Aloo bonda ingredients
- How to make aloo bonda
- Traditional fried aloo bonda
- How to make aloo bonda in the air fryer
- Tips for air fryer aloo bonda
- Aloo bonda vs vada pav
- What to serve with aloo bonda
- Storage and reheating
- More Indian vada recipes
- Batata vada Recipe | aloo bonda recipe
What is aloo bonda or batata vada?
Aloo bonda is a savoury potato fritter made by shaping seasoned mashed potatoes into balls, coating them in a flour batter and cooking until the outside is golden. It is also commonly called batata vada, aloo bada or potato vada.
Batata means potato in Marathi. Recipes can vary between regions and homes, especially in the way the potato filling is seasoned. In this recipe, the boiled potatoes are simply mashed and mixed with ginger, chilli and spices rather than cooked again with a tempering.
You can serve the vadas on their own with chutney or use potato vada inside other snacks. If you specifically want the Mumbai-style sandwich, see my air fryer vada pav recipe.
Aloo bonda ingredients
You only need a few basic ingredients for the potato filling and batter. Refer to the recipe card below for the exact quantities used in the recipe.
For the potato filling
- Boiled potatoes
- Ginger
- Green chilli
- Turmeric powder
- Red chilli powder or paprika
- Salt
For the batter
- Besan or gram flour
- Red lentil flour, for the air fryer variation if using
- Water
- Turmeric powder
- Red chilli powder
- Baking soda
- Rice flour, optional
- Salt
- Oil
The batter should be thick enough to coat the potato balls without running off immediately. This is especially important when making aloo bonda in the air fryer, as a very thin batter can drip through the basket before it sets.
How to make aloo bonda
Start with boiled potatoes that have cooled enough to handle. Mash the potatoes and mix with ginger, green chilli, turmeric, chilli powder and salt.
Divide the potato mixture into equal portions and roll each portion between your palms to make a ball.
In a separate bowl, combine the flour with turmeric, chilli powder, salt and baking soda. Gradually add water and whisk until you have a smooth batter that coats the potato balls.
Lightly roll the potato balls in dry flour. This helps the wet batter stick more evenly to the potato filling.
Dip each potato ball into the prepared batter and let the excess batter drip back into the bowl.
Traditional fried aloo bonda
Heat enough oil for frying over medium heat. Carefully add the coated potato balls without overcrowding the pan.
Fry until the coating is cooked and golden on all sides. Remove the vadas and allow the excess oil to drain before serving.
How to make aloo bonda in the air fryer
The same simple potato filling can also be used to make air fryer aloo bonda. The main thing to watch is the consistency of the batter so it stays around the potato ball while cooking.
1. Coat the potato balls: Lightly roll each shaped potato ball in dry besan or lentil flour.
2. Coat with batter: Make a smooth batter with the flour, seasonings and water. Mix about 1 teaspoon oil into the batter, then dip each potato ball and let the excess batter drip off.
3. Air fry: Preheat the air fryer to 180°C (355°F) for 5 minutes. Arrange the coated vadas in a single layer and air fry for 10 minutes.
If the batter tends to drip, you can use an air-fryer-safe perforated liner. Do not preheat the air fryer with loose parchment paper inside.
4. Spray with oil: Lightly spray or brush the vadas with oil and continue air frying at 180°C for another 3-4 minutes, or until the coating is cooked and lightly golden.
If the batter coating is thicker, the vadas may need another 2-5 minutes. Check towards the end and cook until the coating no longer looks wet.
Tips for air fryer aloo bonda
- Cool the boiled potatoes: Very hot potatoes can make the filling soft and harder to shape.
- Keep the batter thick enough: It should coat the potato ball instead of immediately running off.
- Roll the vadas in dry flour first: This helps the wet batter hold onto the potato filling.
- Leave space in the basket: Do not overcrowd the air fryer.
- Add oil once the coating starts to set: A light spray helps the outside cook and turn lightly golden.
- Check towards the end: Cooking time can vary between air fryer models and with the thickness of the batter.
Aloo bonda vs vada pav
Aloo bonda or batata vada can be eaten as a snack on its own, while vada pav is made by serving a potato vada inside a pav with chutneys.
I also use a different potato preparation for my air fryer vada pav recipe. For that version, the boiled potatoes are cooked with a mustard seed, curry leaf and spice tempering before being mashed and shaped. In this aloo bonda recipe, the boiled potatoes are simply mashed and mixed directly with the spices.
What to serve with aloo bonda
Serve hot aloo bonda with coriander chutney, tamarind chutney or dry garlic chutney. A roasted or fried green chilli also works well on the side.
If you want to serve the potato vada inside bread with chutneys, try my air fryer vada pav.
Storage and reheating
Aloo bonda tastes best soon after cooking while the outside is still crisp. Once cooled, store leftover cooked vadas in the refrigerator.
Reheat them in the air fryer until hot and the outside becomes crisp again. Avoid cooking them for longer than needed, as the potato filling can start to dry out.
More Indian vada recipes
Batata vada Recipe | aloo bonda recipe
Equipment
- wok
- or air-fryer
- steamer/pressure cooker
Ingredients
- ½ cup besan or chickpea flour use red lentil flour for air fryer version
- ½ cup water
- 2 tablespoon besan or chickpea flour for rolling the vada before dipping in batter.
- ¼ teaspoon turmeric powder
- ¼ teaspoon red chilli powder
- 1 tbsp. oil
- Salt as per taste
- pinch baking soda
For filling
- 2 cup boiled potatoes
- 1 small piece ginger
- 1 green chillies
- ⅛ teaspoon turmeric powder
- ¼ teaspoon red chilli powder /paprika
- ¼ teaspoon salt
For frying:
- Oil
Instructions
For filling
- Steam or boil the potatoes until soft.They should not be mushy.
- Mash them and add ginger, chillies,salt,red chilli powder,turmeric to create a filling.
- Make small balls out of the mixture and keep it aside.
For covering
- Keep aside 2 tablespoon besan/lentil flour with salt,roll over the vada
- Add water to chickpea flour mix and make a batter out of it.
- Add soda,salt,turmeric powder,red chilli powder.
For frying (traditional way)
- Heat oil in a wok.
- Once paste is ready,dip the potato balls in it
- On a medium-high flame, fry until golden brown in hot oil.
- Serve hot with tomato sauce, mint chutney or garlic chutney powder.
For vada pav air fryer version
- Roll the potato filling in fry besan/lentil flour.
- Make the batter for lentil/besan flour ,add water with pinch baking soda, oil (1 tbsp) .Dip the mashed potato stuffing in batter.
- Spread a baking sheet(perforated/with holes) in the air fryer basket to avoid any batter to dip.
- In an (preheated for 5 mins) air-fryer, place the vada, cook the vada for 10 mins at 180 degree C | 355 F.
- Spray oil on top of vada and cook further for 3-4 minutes at 180 degree C | 355 F. Total cook time of 13-14 minutes If using thicker batter, cook for 5 minutes. Total cooktime of 18-20 minutes.
- Serve hot with tomato ketchup, mint chutney or garlic chutney powder and pav with some fried green chillies.
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