Bhajjis – perfect snack for a rainy evening

Bhajji is a favorite snack in my home. Once on a cold rainy evening, when my son was 2 years old, I asked my son what I should cook for his dinner. Pat came his reply, ‘Bhajji’! So that’s how much of “a Bhajji family” we are 🙂

I make bhajjis quite often, about once in a month. I generally use a wide variety of vegetables to make bhajjis, like, carrots, raw plantain, onion, capsicum, large brinjals, potato, tender yellow pumpkin (parangi kottai), chowchow, paneer etc. All the snacks and tiffin varieties are prepared and served from the stove to the plate. I find it difficult to take pictures most of the time. But this time I decided to take pictures, to post in the blog of course. The bhajjis I make are quite simple. The temperature of the oil and the consistency of the batter matter most while preparing a tasty crispy bhajji. For tips on the right way to deep fry refer to my earlier post on kunukku.

Brinjal and Vazhaikkai bhajjis

Ingredients

• Gram flour (Besan) – 1 cup
• Rice flour – 1 cup
• Water – 3/4 cup
• Chilli powder – 1 teaspoon
• Hing – 1/4 teaspoon
• Salt – to taste
• Vegetables of your choice – 1/2 kg
• Oil for deep frying – 2 cups

Method

1. Heat the oil in a kadai on low flame. The oil will be ready by the time you prepare the batter.
2. Mix the flours, salt, hing, chilli powder with water and mix well with out lumps.
3. Wash, peel and slice the vegetable to 1/8 inch thick pieces.
4. Bring the flame to high. Dip the slices one at a time into the batter and drop into hot oil.
5. Reduce flame to medium and cook both sides. Drain well and take out the bhajjis on to a kitchen paper.
6. Serve hot with sauce or Vethal kuzhambu.