Every part of India has a cuisine unique to the region. However, regardless of which part of India you come from, there are a few dishes whose variants exist across the board. One such dish is fried fritters. The North Indians call it pakoras/pakodas while the South Indians call it bhajji. Irrespective of what you call it, it is the perfect comfort food on a rainy day and a popular evening snack. When the monsoons hit India, you will hear most people say, “All that is missing is a cup of chai and a plate of hot pakoras”. And it is true! A cup of good chai and a plate of bhajji are a match made in heaven.
My pakora recipe is inspired by what I grew up on in Goa. You will find the best bhajji at “gados” or food carts in Goa. The joy you feel when you wait in line at the stand in anticipation of this deep-fried vegetable lentil fritter wrapped in newspaper is nothing less than that of opening a Christmas present. When you finally sink your teeth in this crunchy fritter dipped in chutney, it warms your soul from within. It is not an uncommon practice to give small kids some money on religious occasions. Growing up my cousins and I saved this money and went to the market when we had enough. And guess what we bought with it! It was not candy, not cake but bhajji!
What you will need:
| Ingredients | Quantity |
|---|---|
| Ajwain/ Carom Seeds | 1 teaspoon |
| Cumin Seeds | 1 teaspoon |
| Gram Flour/Besan | 1 1/2 cups |
| Hing/ Asafetida | 1/2 teaspoon |
| Mixed Vegetables (Potatoes, Bell Peppers, Sliced Onions, Eggplant, Otelao, Spinach) | 2 cups |
| Oil | 2 cups (for frying) |
| Red Chili Powder | 1 teaspoon |
| Salt | 1 1/2 teaspoon |
| Turmeric | 1 teaspoon |
| Water | approx. 1 cup (to make a thick paste) |
Total Time: 40 minutes
Serving: 4
How to make it:
- Heat the oil.
- Slice the vegetables in shapes of your choice. Wash the spinach and
otelao otelao leaves (see image below) are used in Goa. - In a mixing bowl, add the gram flour, asafetida, turmeric powder, red chili powder, carom seeds, cumin seeds, and salt. Mix all the above ingredients together adding little water at a time to get a thick paste.
- Make sure the oil is hot. Take a little bit of the paste in your hand and drop it in the hot oil. If it comes up immediately, the oil is hot.
- Dip the vegetables in the paste to coat evenly.
- Fry the bhajji till golden brown on both sides.
- Remove on a paper towel to drain any access oil.
- Serve with chutney or ketchup and enjoy with hot tea.
