Goli Baje (Mangalore Bajji, Mangalore Bonda)
on Mar 21, 2022, Updated Mar 31, 2024
Goli Baje (Mangalore Bajji, Mangalore Bonda) are soft, spongy, deep-fried fritters made using all-purpose flour, rice flour, and chickpea flour. Serve this popular snack with tea or coffee.
Here are a few more Mangalorean recipes you can try at home: Neer Dosa, Valval, Kori Rotti, and Mangalorean Chicken Sukka.
I love trying out new Indian regional recipes. So many local hidden gems could not become popular in other parts of India, and this Mangalorean Goli Baje recipe is one of them. I had never heard about them before coming to Bangalore after marriage. For one of the potlucks, my Mangalorean friend got these for snacks. I found them quite delicious, and after researching the recipe, I figured they’re also super easy to make. I now make them often, especially on rainy days, as a yummy snack with chai. You must try the recipe too.
About Goli Baje
Goli Baje (Mangalore Bonda, Goli Bajje, or Maida Bonda) is a crispy fried snack popular among homes and tiffin centers in the Konkan and Udupi region of South India (which includes Mangalore as well).
To make Mangalore Bajji, different flours (mainly all-purpose flour) are mixed together with yogurt, onions, and a few other simple ingredients. The mixture is fermented for a few hours, giving the bondas a tangy taste.
Traditionally, the Mangalore Bonda batter was fermented overnight. To quicken the process, I added a pinch of baking soda to it and made the bondas by resting the batter for just 2-3 hours.
Crispy from the outside and soft melt in the mouth from the inside, Mangalore bonda are best served with spicy coconut chutney and filter coffee on the side.
Serve hot goli baje for house parties, weekend meals, or as an evening tea-time snack.
Ingredients
Flour – This goli baje recipe calls for three types of flour: all-purpose flour (maida), rice flour (chawal ka atta), and chickpea flour (gram flour, besan).
To make these healthier, you can replace all-purpose flour with whole wheat flour, but the bondas will have a strong nutty smell.
Yogurt – Mangalore bonda is best made using slightly sour homemade curd (dahi, yogurt). The yogurt you get in supermarkets is not tangy. So, if you use store-bought yogurt, add a teaspoon of lime juice.
Others – You will also need salt, green chilies, onions, cilantro (fresh coriander leaves), curry leaves, sugar, ginger, asafetida (hing), baking soda, and oil.
I have used baking soda to make the fritters light and fluffy, but you can skip it and ferment the batter on the counter for 5-6 hours.
If the baking soda is not fresh, the goli baje will not turn soft. To test if the soda is fresh, add ½ teaspoon to a mixture of ¼ cup water and 2 tablespoon vinegar. It should fizz and bubble.
Adjust the green chilies depending on how spicy you want the baje to be.
You can add some optional ingredients like grated fresh coconut, small fresh coconut pieces, or cumin seeds.
How To Make Goli Baje
Make The Batter
Add the following ingredients to a large mixing bowl and mix well.
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- ¼ cup rice flour
- ¼ cup chickpea flour
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 2 teaspoon finely chopped green chilies
- 4 tablespoon finely chopped onions
- 2 tablespoon finely chopped cilantro
- 10-12 finely chopped curry leaves
- 1 tablespoon sugar
- 2 teaspoon grated ginger
- ¼ teaspoon asafetida
Add 2 cups of sour yogurt (curd) and whisk the batter well to make a smooth, thick batter.
Note – Add a teaspoon of lime juice to the batter if the yogurt is not sour.
Note – The consistency of the batter should be thick-dropping and not flowy, like pakodi batter. If it is too thick, add some water; if it looks thin, add more all-purpose flour.
Cover the bowl with a lid and let the batter ferment for 2-3 hours on the countertop.
If you find the batter thin after fermentation, add a little more maida to it. Do not add rice flour, as it will make the Mangalore bonda hard.
Fry The Bonda
Heat 3-4 cups of oil in a pan over medium-high heat to fry the bonda.
Add a pinch of baking soda to the goli baje batter and mix well using your fingers for 1-2 minutes. This process aerates the batter, and the bonda becomes fluffy.
Once the oil is hot, reduce the heat to medium flame.
Note – Drop a small amount batter in the hot oil to check if it is heated well. the batter must rise within 5 seconds without getting browned.
Drop small lime-sized balls (or even smaller balls) in the pan using your fingers or a spoon and fry until golden brown.
Tip – You can wet your hands to easily shape the bajji.
Do not overcrowd the pan. Fry the bajji in small batches.
The bonda will increase in size after frying, so drop small balls only.
Stir frequently using a large slotted spoon while frying to ensure they fry evenly on all sides.
Once they are golden brown, drain them on a plate lined with paper towels.
Serve hot!
Frequently Asked Questions
These were traditionally called Goli Baje and were available in Mangalore only. When the people from other cities adopted this recipe, they named this dish Mangalore Bonda as it originated from Mangalore.
While Mysore bonda is made using urad dal, the Mangalore Bajji are made using all-purpose flour and sour curd.
To make these vegan, replace dairy yogurt with plant-based yogurt, such as soy, cashew, or almond yogurt.
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Goli Baje Recipe (Mangalore Bajji, Mangalore Bonda)
Ingredients
- 1 cup all-purpose flour (maida)
- ¼ cup rice flour (chawal ka atta)
- ¼ cup chickpea flour (besan, gram flour)
- ½ teaspoon salt (or to taste)
- 2 teaspoons finely chopped green chilies
- 4 tablespoons finely chopped onions
- 2 tablespoons finely chopped cilantro (fresh coriander leaves)
- 10-12 finely chopped curry leaves
- 1 tablespoon white granulated sugar
- 2 teaspoons grated ginger
- ¼ teaspoon asafetida (hing)
- 2 cups sour yogurt (curd, dahi)
- 1 pinch baking soda
- oil (for frying)
Instructions
Make The Batter
- Add all-purpose flour, rice flour, chickpea flour, salt, green chilies, onions, cilantro, curry leaves, sugar, ginger, and asafetida to a large mixing bowl and mix well.
- Add sour yogurt and whisk the batter well to make a smooth thick batter.
- Note – If the yogurt is not sour, then add a teaspoon of lime juice to the batter.
- Note – The consistency of the batter should be thick dropping and not flowy, like pakodi batter. If it is too thick, add some water to it and if it looks thin, then add some more all-purpose flour.
- Cover the bowl with a lid and let the batter ferment for 2-3 hours on the countertop.
- In case you find the batter thin after fermentation, then add a little more maida to it. Do not add rice flour as it will make the Mangalore bonda hard.
Fry The Bonda
- Heat 3-4 cups of oil in a pan over medium-high heat for frying the bonda.
- Add baking soda to the batter and mix well using fingers for 1-2 minutes. This process aerates it and the bonda turns out fluffy.
- Once the oil is hot, reduce the heat to medium.
- Note – To check if the oil is heated well, drop a small amount of batter in the hot oil. It must rise within 5 seconds without getting browned.
- Drop small lime-sized balls (or even smaller balls) in the pan using your fingers or a spoon and fry until golden brown.
- Tip – You can wet your hands to easily shape the bajji.
- Do not overcrowd the pan. Fry the bajji in batches.
- The bonda will increase in size after frying, so drop small balls only.
- Stir frequently using a large slotted spoon while frying to ensure they fry evenly on all the sides.
- Once they are golden brown in color, drain them on a plate lined with paper tissues.
- Serve hot!
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