Bhaji (Bajji, Pakora)

- Submitted by Dahlia on 23rd Apr 2010

(Pakoras, Bajjia, Pakodas, Vegetable Fritters)

Finally!!! The exams are over. My house in the last 6 days looked as serious and tensed as if we were planning to launch a rocket. I and my son in grade 3 yelled, cajoled, pleaded, pacified, threatened, and hugged…yes we did it all in the last 6 days. And finally the exams are over. We wanted to relax and unwind all the stress. And what better alternative than a comfort food? Me and My son mutually decided that on the last day of the exams we will have a bajji party. Now the time has come for some mouth watering, delicious, lip smacking, hot and spicy bajji. 

Bajji (also known as Pakoras or Pakodas) is the quickest and simplest snack that can be made when we have sudden guests at home. Traditionally it was served as an accompaniment but due to its taste and popularity it has become a starter and an important snack in our menu. In many South Indian households, Bajji is made as a compulsory evening snack on Diwali. My mother makes umpteen varieties of bajjis. She made the traditional vazhakkai (raw banana) bajji, potato (urilai kilangu) bajji, vengaya bajji, kathrikai bajji and cauliflower bajji. Along with that, her unique specialties were the chow chow bajji, podalangai (or snake gourd) bajji, zucchini bajji, broccoli bajji, bread bajji, capsicum bajji, baby corn bajji, appalam bajji, paneer bajji, ajwain leaves bajji and the chili (milagai) bajji. The best part of the bajji is so many varieties can be made using the same batter base. Non veg lovers can make shrimp bajji or chicken bajji (with chicken strips) using the same batter. When hard boiled eggs are used to make the bhajis, it is called mutta bonda (Egg Bonda). 

So, set out to make some yummy bajji as a surprise evening snack for your child returning from school or for your spouse returning from work along with a cuppa coffee and make the weekend special for the family.

Recipe for Bajji (Pakoras)

Preparation time: 15 minutes
Cooking time: 20-30 minutes
Serves: 4-6

Ingredients

• Besan (Gram Flour/ Chickpea Flour) – as needed (start with 1/2 cup)
• Assorted Vegetables – depending on availability (Raw Banana, Potatoes, Bread Slices, Banana Peppers, Cauliflower, Onion, Chili, etc)
• Red Chili Powder – 1 tsp or to taste
• Roasted Cumin Powder – 1/2 tsp
• Turmeric Powder – 1/4 tsp
• Baking Soda – 1/4 tsp
• Water – as needed to make batter
• Salt – to taste
• Oil – for deep frying

Method

1. Cut the vegetables into small pieces. Generally raw banana, potato, brinjal, onion and other similar vegetables are made into thin slices. Cauliflower and broccoli are cut into bite sized florets. Bread is cut diagonally to form a triangle and appalam is kept whole or halved.
2. Mix all the dry ingredients (besan, corn flour, red chili powder, baking soda, cumin powder, turmeric powder and salt) in a bowl.
3. Add water little by little while mixing it constantly to make a smooth batter.
4. In the mean time heat oil for deep frying. Add a tbsp of hot oil to the batter and mix. This step also yields crispy bajjis. 
5. Dip the vegetable slices ( or bread or shrimp or chicken pieces) one at a time in the batter so that it is completely coated with the batter. 
6. Drop it carefully in the hot oil. Do not overcrowd the oil. There should be enough space for the bhajis to float in the oil without getting stuck to each other. 
7. Deep fry till it becomes golden brown. 
8. Drain excess oil in paper towels and serve hot with some chutney, hot sauce or ketchup.

Tips

• Add 2 tbsp of rice flour/corn flour to the bhaji batter and make bajjis / pakoras. This way the bhajis / pakoras will stay crispier for a longer time. This will be very useful when making for guests or for parties.
• The temperature of the oil should be medium hot. If the temperature is too hot, the outside will get browned too fast without the vegetable getting cooked. If the temperature is too low, the bhaji will become very oily.
• The consistency of the batter is very important for crispy bajji. It should neither be too thick nor too watery. If the batter is thick the bajji will not get cooked from inside. If too watery it will not coat the vegetable rightly and will be soggy. Special attention need to be paid to make the batter of the right consistency.
• The baking soda should be added just before frying for the crispier texture else it will make the bajji soggy.

Variations

As I said before, bajji can be made with different vegetables. There are a couple of variations of making bajji with stuffing. 

• Stuffed Chili Bajji - This is my mom’s specialty. Here the chilies are slit, deseeded and stuffed with a filling. The filling is made by grinding 2 spoons of dry coconut, chutney gram and half spoon of jeera with tamarind and salt. It is ground to a fine powder and is filled inside the chilies and then the bajjis are made. A popular variation of this made in Rajasthan is the Mirchi Bada, which I have already shared.
• Stuffed Potato Bajji - Here the potatoes are boiled and peeled. A slit is made from top to 3/4 th of its length and is filled with a stuffing of powder made from garlic, red chili powder and cumin seeds. Then the potatoes are dipped in the batter and deep fried in oil.

More Appetizer Recipes

Broccoli Bajji	Dahi Vada	Medhu Vadai	Ragi Vadai
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Comment by Abhijit Banerjee
         brilliant..my wife is visiting her parents, n i HAD to cook for a booze party..d pakoras turned out great..thanks a lot..

Reply :-

        Good good..
 
 Comment by parvathy s
         is besan same as kadala mavu

Reply :-

           Yes Parvathy. Its the same. 

Comment by mehvish mishi
       i like to your programe and ihope you must invite in this programe 

Reply :-

          I dont have any program Mehvish. Keep visiting the website frequently or subscribe to get new recipes.

Comment by khurshid ahmad
           I WILL SAY OPENLY YOU ARE DOING SERVICE TO HUMANITY AND GOD WILL GIVE THE REWARD FOR THE SERVICE, , ,, , PLEASE GIVE MORE INFO ON ,,,VEGETABLE PAKORAS, , , AND OBLIGE, , THANKS, , khrshid a
,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,

Reply :-

          Thank You for your blessings Khurshid.