Mix Veg Bhajias

Bhajias or Pakoras are ubiquitous to Indian cuisine. Almost all regions of India prepares and relishes this simple but amazing snack dish. Bhajias is not only a truly inviting dish, but symbolic of the glorious and beautiful season of spring. DSB brings to you this classic dish in its traditional form to tantalize your taste buds.

It really is amazing to see how a simple and quick snack dish like this is so comforting, appetizing and joyous – all at the same time. Be it arrival of guests at home, an important occasion or celebrating the first rains of spring, this dish always finds a way in Indian kitchens. Loved equally by children and adults, bhajias can easily be counted as one of the most eaten and enjoyed snack items in India.

In fact i am sure the just the pure look of the photograph is making your mouth water…. am i right? Oh i know i am 🙂

To me, the real surprise was to find its lovers abroad. Every time i go to an Indian restaurant here in Montreal, i always make sure to have a nice, long look at the menu items (just my nature i guess, i love to take inspirations :)). To my surprise and joy (actually), i always find Bhajias/ Pakoras and Samosas in the list. Indian food joints are usually swarming with people from different parts of the world and all enjoy these delicious snack. When i talk to the restaurant managers, i am told that these snacks sell like hot cakes (or pakoras :P) and usually get finished before they can turn cold.

Loving the fact that people love this dish, i decided to include its recipe during one of my cooking workshops (Hot Delhi, conducted on 9th Nov’13 in Montreal). I not only got a great response from attendees, it felt great to see people having a fun time following and making this dish. I have been asked by many people to pen down the recipe and here it is !

I love the colour, texture and abstract- almost messy look of these bhajias. To me, this is really inviting and speaks comfort in every bite. Try the recipe below and i am sure you are going to try this very soon !! Serve these with DSB’s famous Mint-Coriander Chutney or Tamarind chutney

Mix Veg Bhajias

Mix Veg Bhajias

Servings: 4
Time: 30 mins
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Recipe

For the Batter

1 cup chickpea flour
Salt to taste
1 tsp ginger grated
Pinch of asafoetida (optional)
1 medium green chilli – finely chopped
1 tablespoon chopped coriander
1 tsp Raw mango powder
1/2 tsp dry mint powder (optional)
1 tsp Garam masala
1 tsp Chaat Masala
About 1/2 cup water for semi thick batter
Oil ( Vegetable/ Canola) for frying

Vegetables

2 Potatoes – cut into thin round slices
1 Onions – cut lengthwise
1 cup Cauliflower – cut into small florets

Method

Preparing the batter

In a bowl, add all the ingredients for the batter and create a smooth and semi thick batter. Mix all the ingredients really well to ensure a smooth and even batter.

Making Bhajias

Take a deep pan. Pour in about ½ litre oil and heat on high flame till hot enough for frying.
Take a few slices of potato/onion/ cauliflower at a time. Dip it in the batter and make sure it is evenly coated. Drop in the hot oil and fry till golden brown. Remove from oil and drain on a towel to remove excess oil.
To serve, put the pakoras on the serving plate and sprinkle chaat masala over it.

Crunchy little packets of happiness, these bhajias always make me happy. Best feature of this dish is the versatility. I like to define this dish as “Make the batter, dip just about any vegetable or meat and give it a deep fry”. I have also tried the fried Apple Bhajias (yes apple with the savory chickpea batter) and i really like it. The combination of savory with tangy-sweet apple inside makes it a very interesting combination.

So, next time you plan to create a little Indian experience on your appetizer tale, give this dish a try and you will be surprised to see how quick they get over 🙂

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