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In celebration of bajjis bondas and vadais!

Discussion in 'Snippets of Life (Non-Fiction)' started by kkrish, Mar 12, 2014.

  1. kkrish

    kkrish IL Hall of Fame

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    Lately my friends have been posting yummy pictures of bajjis on Facebook. There is no better marriage than hot bajjiss and cold miserable weather. A perfect combination, in my opinion.

    Thanks to Jack Frost who has camped for a long stay and blanketing us with that white stuff, bajjis are our panacea for cabin fever.

    Biting into that crunchy outer layer of fluffy, salty and spicy fried batter to meet a potato inside is pure bliss. The combination simply takes our taste buds to heaven and back. If potato is heaven, plantains give yet another dimension to heaven making in heavenlier. Oh what about that onion bajjis? Oooh la la, the sweetness of those round rings is heaven to die for. :drool

    Many years ago when I was a teenager, my parents and I went to see “Gone with the Wind”. It was so crowded we could not get tickets. Disappointed we went to a restaurant to have some coffee and ordered some bajjis. They came, four a plate, small reddish discs. Never have I tasted such perfect bajjis before or since. It was not oily, the spice and salt just right with the delicious coconut chutney adding to the perfection. We ordered another set of bajjis and enjoyed it so much, that my disappointment of not seeing the handsome Rhett Butler simply went with the wind. Years later when I saw the movie I was glad that we had those bajjis.:hide:

    Ah now to bajji’s cousin, the bonda. I would rate the bondas right along with bajjis when it comes to deliciousness and heaven. The crunchy globes with pieces of coconut inside dunked in hot sambar and chutney…oooh! I salivate as I type this. During my last two visits to Chennai I found Adayar Aananda Bhavan’s bondas were the best! May they never bring that quality down.

    Those potato filled bondas are yet another cousin I would give anything to have. If the potato filling is perfectly cooked no chutney or sambar is needed to down those tongue tickling little fellas!

    While in Bangalore I was introduced to another type of bondas made with all-purpose flour. Very delicious they were; forgot the name though.

    Which now brings to the other cousin occupying the same podium as bajjis and bondas... the vadais.

    Be it the crunchy medhu vadai with the same crunchy outside and soft batter inside or the spicy masala vadais, they simply make my day brighter, happier, and all is well with the world.

    Soak them in Rasam or Sambar and eat them hot to experience paradise; or have them delightfully cool soaked in creamy yogurt!

    Add some greens and we have the healthier keerai vadais, or some finely grated cabbage, carrots and other veggies we have these wonderful flavors exploding in our mouth making our taste buds dance a jig.:wow

    Not mentioning the S.Indian variations of aama vadai, thavali adai, paruppu vadais, the karntaka madhur vadais would be blasphemy. Each and every one of those vadais is a voyage of ecstasy.

    Aaargh! What is that green thingy on my plate? Raw broccoli, bitter greens, and lettuce? A goat coming to dinner? No, it’s my meal!

    That’s right! Every time I get on the salad diet I start hallucinating bajjis, bondas, and vadais. Hmmmph!:-(
     
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  2. knbg

    knbg Moderator Staff Member IL Hall of Fame

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    Dear Kamala ma'am,
    Just logged in and what a hot,spicy post to start my day with...!
    Lifted my spirits...last Sunday I made masalvadais....they turned out to be super crunchy and spicy....missed my DH who is away now to report for work in north east.
    Your post lifted my spirits though.....after all,there would be a lot of rainy days, stormy days and cold days in north east and we would be relishing those bhajis, bondas and vadas together ( with your blessings) and every time I pick one, I would remember my dear Kamala ma'am and her diet...:crazy
     
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  3. shyamala1234

    shyamala1234 Platinum IL'ite

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    Dear Kamala,

    A mouth watering snippet. It is cloudy, cold and raining at Hyderabad since last one week. I want to eat the bajji's or vada or bondas immediately! Pizza, french fries....they are nothing in front of them!

    Along with tasty bajjis with various bajjis you have forgotten.....mirch bajji, famous at Hyderabad. Big green chillies ( available in USA also) stuffed with masala inside, dipped in batter and fried...we are in heaven. There is one famous Mirch bajji shop in Nallakunta area which is so crowded in the evenings that I can't tell.
    Bondas and masala vadas are also very good and ideal for rainy season. I can make bajjis and vadai but somehow bondas do not come as good as in the tiffin place!

    Counting the calories? Once in a while we can stop counting and eat whatever we feel like. After all what is life for if we cannot enjoy sometimes by eating what we like! Need not feel guilty.
    Thank you Kamala.

    Syamala
     
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  4. troubledmom

    troubledmom Gold IL'ite

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    Nice snippet. In future pls put a warning in the front saying 'Do not read on empty stomach'! I am urgently craving some of these now. :)
     
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  5. troubledmom

    troubledmom Gold IL'ite

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    Ooh! I love mirchi bajjis! What is the name of this shop or address landmark?
     
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  6. DURGARAJ

    DURGARAJ Silver IL'ite

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    After reading your snippet I felt like to have it , it was really mouth watering. And today its very cold here in Milwaukee and about to snow , so prepared hot hot bajjis for my DH in the evening.
     
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  7. shyamala1234

    shyamala1234 Platinum IL'ite

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    The Mirchi bajji place is opposite Shankar mutt in Nallakunta. Should go there in the evening...they are freshly made and served.
    Syamala
     
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  8. Deepu04

    Deepu04 IL Hall of Fame

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    Oh my God Kamala Mam ... Those who do not like Bajis bondas would have start loving it after reading your snippet.. wonderful narration. As mentioned by Shymala, Life is to enjoy .. do not feel guilt.. :)
     
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  9. Sinant

    Sinant Silver IL'ite

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    Adding to that, one more delicay of maharashtra - sabudana wada !! ahh, crunchy outside and so soft inside !! Blissful !! :-D
     
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  10. chithirainilavu

    chithirainilavu Gold IL'ite

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    Dear kamala mam,

    I never thought anyone can write such a lovely snippet about bajjis and bondas. Mouth watering. I am missing the milagai bajjis of marina beach, chennai. This time when I go, i am sure to make visit for these bajjis.

    Missing you a lot in Time management thread mam

    shara
     
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