Kara Boondi

Kara Boondi is spicy, crunchy and delicious Indian savory snack. Savory Boondi is purely gluten-free and vegan recipe. Kara boondi is my family favourite munching snack. We love boondi as a topping on soups, chaats and raitas. Sometimes I add boondi to stir-fries, dahi vada and chaas too. 

More homemade Indian savory snack recipes you may like – Ribbon Murukku, Murukku, Jantikalu, Namkeen Kaju Biscuits and Namak Pare.

What is Kara Boondi?

“Kara Boondi” is savory tiny deep fried balls made with gram flour and salt. Upon frying these are then mixed with fried curry leaves, roasted peanuts, fried garlic and red chili powder. Kara Boondi is a very addictive munching snack. I never knew, making boondi is this easy. But be careful with hot oil.

Homemade Kara Boondi

Kara boondi is always a must buy whenever I visit nearby bakery or sweet shop until recently. Seeing me grabbing a packet of boondi every time I visit the shop, my neighbor friend Lavanya said, why don’t we try making boondi at home this weekend. I just liked the idea, as I always wanted to try boondi at home.

Lavanya, is my neighbour and has become very good friend of mine in very less time. She has got good sense of humor and makes everyone smile with her words. The day when she made boondi for the first time, I had gala time taking pictures. From that day on, I stopped buying boondi from store. Now I am addicted to this homemade spicy, crunchy and yummy kara boondi.

Ingredients & Tips To Make Kara Boondi

Gram Flour | Besan is gluten-free flour, which is mostly used in making Indian sweets, savories and curries. Rajasthani Kadhi, Besan Ladoo, Jantikalu, Ghee Mysore Pak, Dhokla, Dahi Bhalla, etc; are few of the examples where besan is the star ingredient.

Cooking Soda: Also called as baking soda will bring crunch in boondi. If cooking soda is used, then boondi will be nice and hollow from inside. Don’t skip adding cooking soda, but add it in required quantity only.

Peanuts: I add roasted peanuts, you can deep fry and add them. Instead of peanuts you can add cashews too. Or you can add both fried or roasted peanuts and cashew nuts.

Curry Leaves: Fried curry leaves turn crisp and will add nice taste to the boondi.

Red Chili Powder: Add good brand or homemade red chili powder to mix in this boondi.

Garlic: Fried garlic is the game changer in this recipe. Don’t skip adding it.

Khara Boondi is,

• easy to make
• spicy
• crunchy
• best munchies snack

Kara Boondi Recipe with Garlic (Step by Step Pictures)

• In a heavy bottom cooking vessel or deep wok or kadai, heat enough oil for deep frying boondi.

• While oil is heating up, sieve gram flour, cooking soda and salt in a wide bowl.

• Slowly start adding water slowly to make a runny batter without lumps. (Slightly thinner than dosa batter).
• Now check whether the oil is hot enough for deep frying by dropping a drop of batter into the oil. If the batter ball sizzles and reaches the top, then oil is ready for deep frying.

• Reduce the flame and gently pour in the small amount of batter through stainless steel perforated skimming ladle.
• Using another ladle or small bowl gently spread over the batter on the perforated skimming ladle, allowing batter droplets to fall directly into the hot oil. (as shown in the picture below).
• By doing this, you get boondi in round.

• On medium heat fry boondi, until nice golden and crisp. Using a stainless steel slotted spoon turn boondi up and down in oil for even cooking.
• Once the boondi turn crisp, carefully remove it onto a kitchen tissue/towel. Repeat the process to complete the remaining batter.

• Once the batter is complete, then in the same oil deep fry curry leaves until crisp. Remove onto a kitchen tissue.

Seasoning Kara Boondi 

• Then fry peanuts until crisp and remove on to a kitchen tissue.
• In a small kadai or wok, add 1 tbsp. of oil and fry crushed garlic for 1 minute. Drain and set aside.
• Now in a big bowl, gently mix in boondi with red chili powder and salt along with crisp curry leaves, fried garlic and peanuts.
• Leave for 15-20 minutes and then store in a clean and dry air tight container.
• Our homemade aromatic, fresh, crisp and yum khara boondi is ready to indulge.

Variations & Storage Tips:

• You can even add deep fried cashews to the boondi mixture.
• You can add little food color like green and red to the batter to get colourful khara boondi.
• When boondi reaches room temperature, transfer it to a clean and dry moisture free air tight jar.
• If stored properly, kara boondi stays fresh for 12-15 days.

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