Sago Bonda

Ingredients

• 1 cup Sago (sabudana)
• 1/2 cup Rice flour
• 1 cup Sour, thick curd
• 1 Tablespoon Chana dal
• 1/4 cup Finely chopped onion
• 2 Teaspoons Round-sliced green chili
• as needed Salt
• Oil (as needed, for frying)

Instructions

1. Wash the sago and drain the water completely.
2. Whisk the sour curd lightly, add salt, mix into the sago, and cover.
3. Let it soak like this for 6 hours.
4. Soak the chana dal in water for 1/2 hour and drain.
5. Mix the soaked chana dal, onion, green chili, and rice flour into the sago. If there isn't enough buttermilk, add a little and knead. The dough should be firm enough to hold a ball shape.
6. Heat oil in a pan, shape lemon-sized balls from the sago mixture, and drop them into oil deep enough to submerge them.
7. Once well golden, flip and once browned on the other side too, remove and serve hot. Serve with coriander or onion thokku. Let the oil drain thoroughly.
8. Since it's made of sago, the bondas will stick to each other while frying. Once cooked, separate them by hand before serving.
9. Note: use only thick, sour curd -- don't add water. The amount of curd should suit the quantity of sago; larger sago pearls need more curd. While frying, don't stir often -- flip only once.