Brinjal Bajji | Vankaya Bajji

#Monsoonsnack #Pakora #Fakkura #Pakoda #Bajji

‘Monsoons’ and ‘deep-fried snacks’ always go hand in hand. During rains when we have sudden craving for a quick munch, bajji is my go-to option. Now, this delectable snack has got several names across India… pakora, pakoda, bhajjia, fakkura, ponako, fritters etc… and in down South it’s fondly known as ‘Bajji’

How to make Brinjal Bajji | Vankaya Bajji?

Bajjis can be made using various veggies and fruits like onions, raw banana, potato, carrot, capsicum, unripe green apple and more. Here, I have used the India’s King of Vegetables, ‘Brinjal’ for making bajjis (we call Vankaya in Telugu). These brinjal bajjis are light, crunchy…so gorgeous to look at and of course totally irresistible in taste.

You can choose any variety of brinjal to make bajji but it’s always good to use less seeded one. Preparation is very easy…thin slices of brinjals are coated evenly with spiced chickpea flour batter and deep-fried till golden in colour. You can also air fry this if want to avoid deep frying.

Ingredients

  1. Brinjal – 2 or 3, large in size, preferably less seeded variety
  2. Chickpea Flour / Besan – 1 cup
  3. Rice flour – 1/4 cup
  4. Haldi / Turmeric Powder – a pinch
  5. Red Chilly Powder – 1/2 tsp (or as per taste)
  6. Pepper Powder – 1/4 tsp
  7. Jeera – 1/2 tsp
  8. Hing / Asafoetida – a generous pinch
  9. Salt to taste
  10. Cooking Soda – a pinch (optional)
  11. Oil for deep frying

Method

  1. Wash and slice brinjals into thin circles. Immerse them
    in water to avoid any decolourization of brinjal until we use.
  2. Sieve besan and remove the lumps if any. Mix besan, rice flour, red chilly powder, salt, pepper powder, jeera, haldi, hing and cooking soda in a bowl.
  3. Heat oil for deep frying. Strain the brinjal slices from the water and keep it ready.
  4. When the oil is hot, take a tablespoon of hot oil and pour it over the besan mixture. This will make the bajjis crispy.
  5. Add required amount of water and mix it well to form a fine paste of dosa-batter consistency.
  6. Keep the flame in medium-hot mode. Gently dip the brinjal slices into the batter. The slices should be evenly coated with the batter.
  7. Deep fry till golden in colour.
  8. Drain the bajjis in kitchen tissue to remove excess oil.
  9. Serve hot with any chutney or sauce.

For similar snacks recipe, plz checkout Pinwheel Samosa, Thenga Manga Pattani Sundal.

Happy Cooking!

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