Ingredients:
For Bon Bons
200 grams lotus stem ( Pressure cooked, chopped and blended in a blender without using any water)
8- 10 slices of lotus stem (fried) for garnisasafoetida .
1/3 cup Bengal gram flour (Lightly roasted)
1 green chilli – chopped
½ Tbsp. cumin seeds (Roasted)
¼ Tbsp. red chilli powder
¼ Tbsp. Turmeric Powder
1/8 Tbsp. Asafoetida
¼ Tbsp. garam masala powder
¼ Tbsp. coriander powder
salt to taste
Cooking oil for deep frying
For gravy
3 Medium size onion chopped
1 Tbsp. Ginger Garlic Paste
1 cup Tomato puree
1 Tbsp. kashmiri red chili powder (paprika)
½ Tbsp. Turmeric
1 ½ Tbsp. Coriander Powder
2 tablespoons oil
1 bay leaf
1 inch cinnamon
2 green cardamoms
2 cloves
1 black cardamom
¼ Tbsp. caraway seeds
Water as required
½ Tbsp. Brown sugar (Optional)
½ Tbsp. Dry Fenugreek Leaves)
salt to taste
Method :
Before you pressure cook the lotus stem , make sure you have rinsed them well , with the help of a peeler , remove the outer skin, slice them and then pressure cook (with 1 cup of water) them with some salt . Cook for 4 to 5 whistles on medium flame. They should be cooked by now. Take them off heat . and blend the cooked lotus stem in a blender to get a smooth but not runny paste. In a bowl , add the paste and roasted gram flour , chopped chill, roasted cumin seeds, red chilli powder, turmeric powder garam masala powder, coriander powder, salt to taste and asafoetida. Mix well with spoon or hand. Make sure it takes shape of very soft dogh. Rest this mixture for 20 minutes in a refrigerator.
In a deep frying pan and on low to medium heat, take spoonful of the dough make a small ball (wet palm) and add in hot oil. Turn over , once one side looks golden brown and fry the second side . Fry till you get even colour on both the sides. Your Bob Bons are done.
Making gravy
In the same frying pan where you have fried Lotus Stem Bob Bons , add oil , on
medium heat add bay leaf, cinnamon, cardamom, cloves and caraway seeds, wait for
splutter , now add onion saute till onion become light brown, add ginger –garlic paste
and tomato puree , saute for 2 more minutes now add red chili and turmeric powder
stir well , now ads coriander powder . Saute for a minute then add water ( As per the
consistency you are looking for) , simmer and take it off heat. Once cools down make a
paste of this mixture ( Do not forget to remove bay leaf) . In the same pan pour the
onion-tomato sauce , add little water if required give it a boil ,and then simmer . Add Dried Fenugreek Leaves and sugar in a minute your gravy is ready. Pour this hot gravy on top of your fried Bon Bons , garnish with ginger, drizzle some heavy cream and give the finisasafoetida touch by freshly chopped coriander and fried lotus stem chips.
