Goli Baje | Mangalore Bajji | Mangalore Bonda

Goli baje recipe with step by step pics. Goli baje also called as Mangalore bajji and Mangalore bonda is a popular street food snack from the Karnataka cuisine. These are like soft and spongy fritters made with all purpose flour, spices and herbs. Since all-purpose flour or maida is one of the primary ingredients in these bajjis, these are also called Maida Bonda. This recipe of mine is vegan and with it, you can make these scrumptious bondas easily at home.

There are some variations in preparing goli baje. I am sharing a no onion no garlic version and A fool proof recipe to get these crisp as well as soft fritters the way they are meant to be.

I must have tried preparing goli baje about four times and something would go amiss every time. After four trials I finally managed to get the recipe right.

So the recipe I am sharing like all the recipes posted on blog is a tried and tested recipe and will give you incredibly soft and light goli baje. If you follow my recipe, you won’t have any problem in preparing these bajjis at home.

These fluffy Mangalore bajji reminded me about an east Indian snack ‘fugia’ that is served in their weddings.

Goli baje are best served hot and with Coconut Chutney. You can serve it with plain white coconut chutney or a variation of coconut chutney.

How to make Mangalore Bonda (Mangalore Bajji)

1. In a mixing bowl take 1 cup maida and ½ tablespoon rice flour. Rice flour gives some crispness. You can even skip it.

2. Then add 6 tablespoons sour curd. You can also use fresh curd.

3. Now add 1 teaspoon finely chopped ginger, 7 to 8 chopped curry leaves, 1 to 2 chopped green chilies, 1 tablespoon grated or finely chopped fresh coconut and 2 tablespoons chopped coriander leaves.

4. Add 1 teaspoon of sugar and salt as required.

5. Just mix everything lightly.

6. Then add 4 tablespoons of water in parts.

7. Adding water in parts and mix everything very well. You should get thick batter. So add water as required and in parts. The batter consistency is slightly thicker than Idli Batter.

8. Now add ¼ teaspoon baking soda.

9. Mix very well.

10. Here is a pic showing the consistency of the batter. Cover the bowl with a lid and keep aside the batter to leaven for 3 hours.

The maximum amount of time to be kept is 3 hours which gives nicely soft and fluffy goli baje. If in a hurry, you can keep it even for 30 minutes to 1 hour, but the texture will be not that soft.

11. Batter pic after 3 hours. In case you find the batter thin after fermentation, then add some 1 to 2 tablespoons more maida. Do not add rice flour as it will make the goli baje hard.

Frying goli baje

12. Now heat oil for deep frying in a kadai or pan. Keep the flame to a medium. When the oil is medium hot, with a spoon or with your fingers drop globs of batter in the hot oil.

13. Begin to fry them in medium hot oil.

14. When one side is light golden turn over the goli baje with a slotted spoon.

15. When the second side is golden, turn over and continue to fry till the goli baje are crisp and golden. These are very light so turning them is an issue.

They behave like thermocol balls. So in this case turn them over with a spoon and keep the spoon on the top of the bajji so that the bajji does not turn back.

16. Once golden and crisp, remove the bajjis with a slotted spoon draining excess oil.

17. Place them on kitchen paper towels to absorb extra oil. This way fry all the goli baje in batches.

18. Serve goli baje or Mangalore bonda hot with coconut chutney.

More Tasty Snacks recipes:

This Goli Baje post from the archives, originally published in July 2017 has been updated and republished on January 2023.