From onion bajji to Mysore bonda, check out some snack recipes you can try at home

Onion bajji

Ingredients

2 medium-sized onions

1/2 cup besan flour

1/4 cup rice flour

1/2 teaspoon Kashmiri red chilli powder

1/4 teaspoon ajwain

A tiny pinch of baking soda

Oil to deep fry

Water as needed (I added a little more than 1/3 cup)

Salt to taste

Instructions

Measure the rice and besan flour and take them in a mixing bowl.

Add ajwain, red chilli powder, and salt. Then add the baking soda.

Peel the onions and slice them. The slices should be slightly thick.

Mix the flours well. Add water little by little, mixing continuously. Use a whisk to avoid lumps.

The batter should not be runny; otherwise, it won’t coat the onions properly. If you dip a finger into the batter and pull it out, it should coat your finger well and hold, that's the right consistency.

Dip the onion slices into the batter, ensuring they are well coated on both sides.

Heat oil in a kadai. When it's hot enough, gently drop the coated onions into the oil.

Repeat the process to finish the onions and the batter. Flip and cook until golden brown.

Remove from the oil and drain on tissue paper. Serve the Onion Bajji hot with coconut chutney.

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Onion pakoda

Ingredients

2 medium-sized onions

1/2 cup besan flour

1/4 cup rice flour

1/2 teaspoon red chilli powder

1/2 teaspoon fennel seed powder

1/8 teaspoon hing (asafoetida)

1 green chili, roughly chopped

1/4 cup mint leaves (loosely packed)

A small sprig of curry leaves

1 teaspoon hot oil

Salt to taste

Oil to deep fry

Water as needed

Instructions

First, take 2 medium-sized onions.

Remove the skin and discard it.

Cut each onion in half.

Remove the white core part and discard it. Repeat for all onions.

Slice each half thinly and as uniformly as possible.

Separate the layers. The sliced onions are now ready.

In a mixing bowl, add:

The sliced onions

1/2 cup besan flour

1/4 cup rice flour

1/4 cup mint leaves

A small sprig of curry leaves

1 green chili

Salt to taste

1/2 teaspoon red chilli powder

1/8 teaspoon hing

1/2 teaspoon fennel seed powder

Mix everything well.

Add 1 teaspoon of hot oil. (Hot oil helps make the pakodas extra crispy.)

Sprinkle water little by little and start mixing. Do not apply pressure while mixing. Do not add too much water, just sprinkle and mix gently.

The mixture should be thick, not like a batter.

Heat oil in a kadai, pinch and drop small portions of the mixture into the hot oil.

Fry in batches and do not overcrowd the pan. Once they start turning golden, flip them.

Fry on medium flame, turning occasionally.

Fry until they become reddish brown and crispy.

Finally, turn off the heat and drop a small sprig of curry leaves into the hot oil. Remove and drain them.

Add the crispy curry leaves to the fried pakodas.

Serve hot with tea.

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Mysore bonda

Ingredients

1 cup whole urad dal

3/4 teaspoon cumin seeds

1 teaspoon whole pepper

1 teaspoon ginger, finely chopped

10 curry leaves, finely chopped

2 green chillies, finely chopped

4 tablespoons coconut, finely chopped

A pinch of hing

Salt to taste

Oil to deep fry

Instructions

In a mixing bowl, add 1 cup of urad dal.

Soak the urad dal in enough water (just to immerse) for 3 hours.

Rinse it well, then drain the water completely. Add the dal to a large mixer jar.

Add about 2 tablespoons of water initially. Use ice-cold water to prevent the mixer from overheating.

Add water little by little and grind into a fluffy batter. Scrape the sides, sprinkle water as needed, and continue grinding to avoid the mixer getting stuck.

The batter should be smooth and fluffy.

It should also be thick. If the batter is too runny, the bondas will absorb more oil and turn soggy.

Transfer the batter to a mixing bowl. Add,

1 teaspoon whole pepper

3/4 teaspoon cumin seeds

1 teaspoon finely chopped ginger

2 finely chopped green chillies

10 finely chopped curry leaves

4 tablespoons finely chopped coconut

Salt to taste

1/2 teaspoon hing

Mix until well combined.

Dip your fingers in water to avoid sticking, and make lemon-sized balls from the batter.

Heat oil in a kadai. To check if the oil is ready, drop a small pinch of batter, if it rises immediately, the oil is ready.

Carefully drop the balls into the hot oil. If the batter consistency is right, the bondas will turn over on their own.

Keep the flame at medium and cook until both sides are golden brown. Flip as needed.

Deep fry until evenly golden and crispy.

Remove the bondas and drain on tissue paper. Repeat to finish the batter.

Crispy, hot bondas are ready.