- Submitted by Raji Ramakrishnan
(Ajwain Patta Bajia, Carom Leaf Fritters, Omam Illai Bajji, Vaamu Aaku Bajji, Thymol Leaves Pakore)
I usually never take an afternoon nap. Since it was a Friday afternoon and weather was so chilly and romantic that I just couldn’t resist but go and take a good afternoon nap. I slept for nearly 1 and half to 2 hours and I felt so amazing after I awoke. Trust me guys, sleep is the best therapy for all the physical, emotional and mental ailments. The laziness in me had still not gone away from my system and felt like eating something hot, tasty, and spicy and at the same time healthy. I went to the balcony to check if rain had stopped and my eyes glanced on the ajwain leaves or omavalli leaves that I had planted long time back. I plucked 10-15 leaves and thought I will boil the leaves and make a concoction. Then suddenly I remembered I had tasted the ajwain leaves bajji that I ate in one of my friends’ house and I decided to try the same.
The health benefits of ajwain seeds (or carom fruits) is well known in almost all the families. But very few people about the ajwain leaves. The ajwain leaf is one of the easily grown herb that grows very well with minimum care and no pesticides. It grows well in almost all weather conditions. It is a tender and fleshy leaf with an oregano or thyme like aroma. It has numerous health and medicinal benefits. Ajwain leaves are used for treating cold, cough and fever in infants and small children. They are also ideal to relieve colic symptoms in babies. Adults can also eat the ajwain leaves with water to relieve from cough and stomach ailments due to flatulence. They taste a little spicy and bitter. The ajwain leaves are sparsely used in cooking in comparison to the ajwain seed due to its sharp taste. But when these leaves are used for making bajji, the sharp taste is completely nullified by the chickpea flour batter. The final bajji gets its own unique taste and texture.
So, get ready to enjoy the rain with this lip smacking, organic and healthy bajji with a cup of tea or coffee just like I did.
Recipe for Ajwain Patta Bajia
Preparation time: 30 minutes
Cooking time: 20 minutes
Serves: 3-4
Ingredients
- Ajwain Leaves (Omam Leaves / Carom Leaves) - 10-15 Leaves
- Gram Flour - 1 cup
- Rice Flour - 1 tsp
- Oil - 1 tsp
- Ajwain (Omam / Carom Fruits) - ¼ tsp
- Asafoetida - A generous pinch
- Red Chili powder - 1 tsp (or, as per your requirement)
- Salt - To Taste
- Water - as needed
- Oil - for frying
Method
- In a mixing bowl, add the gram flour, rice flour, ajwain seeds, red chili powder, asafoetida powder and salt. Mix it.
- Add water little by little while mixing to make a thick batter. It should not be too thick and too watery also but just enough to coat the leaves and make the bhajia.
- Heat one tsp oil and mix with the batter. Keep aside for 30 minutes.
- Clean all the ajwain leaves in a bowl of water to get rid of all dirt and impurities on the leaf. Wipe the leaves with a cloth to dry it.
- After 30 minutes mix the batter once. Heat oil in frying pan.
- Dip the leaves in the batter and fry in hot oil just like you make the other bhajias. It is a healthy one as ajwain has got the capacity to cure the digestive problems.
Serving Ajwain Patta Bajia
- Serve hot with tomato sauce or chutney of your choice or just have it plain with a cup of hot tea.
More Ajwain / Carom Leaf Recipes