Bajji/ Bonda

Recipe courtesy: Janaki (my granny)

Commonly known as pakora in the North, bajji is a universal apetizer in every desi restaurant. Tasty and quick, bajji/bonda is the fav of all! My sister loves bajji and it is her greatest weakness :)
My maternal relatives lived in a joint family (about 18 - 20 members under a single roof) for several years. I still remember the cooks making thousands of bajjis and these the hot bajjis were served with coconut chutney and curd rice :)
Why curd rice??? well, they say-it is for digestion! (because of oil and besan). I really don't know if it aids digestion, but I think eating a spoon of curd rice after every bite of bajji is heavenly!! However, whenever amma makes bajji, the side dishes include coconut chutney, tomato chilli sauce (ketchup) and curd rice.. Oh, it is a complete meal by itself!

I got this recipe from my granny olly.

Ingredients:

1/2 cup rice flour
1/2 cup besan flour
1 tsp maida flour (all purpose flour) -optional
1 pinch cooking soda (optional)
2 tsp chilli powder (vary according to taste)
salt to taste
4 dashes of hing
1/4 tsp turmeric powder
1 ladleful heated oil (about -6 tbsp)
Oil for fying
Sliced veegies of your choice (may include, onion, potato, raw banana, brinjal/eggplant, whole cauliflower flowerets, chayotes (chow- chow), carrots

Mix together rice flour, besan, salt, chilli powder, turmeric, cooking soda, maida flour and hing. Add the hot oil on top of the dry mixture and mix it with your hands (let the hot oil sink into the flour and cool a bit before you put yr hands)

It will now be a semi- dry mixture. Add enough water to bring it to a bajji batter consistency ( more watery than dosa batter).

For bajiis, dip the thinly sliced veggies in the batter and deep fry in hot oil. until golden brown. Check again for salt after frying. Add more if required for the next batch.
Serve with coconut chutney and tom-chi sauce. If you wish, keep a bowl of curd rice
(well salted) by the side and ensoy maadi !!

This recipe goes to Shanti's Lovely Winter Recipes event