It is raining here in Gurgaon and after an exhausting Summer
, finally the weather is cool and pleasant. I love Monsoons for many reasons ,
one of them is undoubtedly the yummy monsoon treats that i get to feast on . There
is no other joy than to enjoy the crispy , spicy onion fritters along with a
piping hot cup of Masala Chai on a rainy evening with family and friends !
Onion fritters are known as Kanda Bhaji in Marathi. It is
popular street food in Mumbai. Kanda means onion and bhaji means fritter in
Marathi, and hence the name of this delicious snacks. A delectable starter ,
Kanda bhaji can be enjoyed as a tea time snacks or can be had as a side dish
with chapati or bread. Though one can have these crispy treats any time, they
taste best during winters and monsoons. The best part is they can be easily
made at home.
The recipe for Kanda bhaji or pyaj ke pakode ( Hindi name )
calls for a simple preparation, in which thinly sliced onions are mixed with
gram flour (Besan) and flavoured with some Indian spices and herbs and then
deep fried until crispy. A perfect kanda bhaji has more of onions and less
flour which makes it flavorful and less stodgy. Deep fried , salted green
chilies are served as accompaniment with these fritters along with a green
chutney or Tomato sauce.
Ingredients:
- 1/2
cup Chickpea flour / Besan
- 1 tbsp
coarse Semolina / Suji
- 2 -3
large onions , thinly sliced
- 3 tbsp
finely chopped fresh Coriander /Dhaniya
- 2
green Chilies finely chopped + 2 green chilies for serving.
- Pinch
of Asafoetida / Hing
- 1/4
tsp Turmeric powder / Haldi
- 1/4
tsp Carom seeds / Ajwain
- Salt
to taste
- Oil
for deep frying
Method:
- In a bowl take the gram flour and semolina. Mix them together and set aside.
2. In
another bowl , take the thinly sliced onions, finely chopped coriander
leaves, carom seeds , asafoetida , turmeric powder and salt. Mix well.
keep aside for 5-10 minutes.
3. Mix
the gram flour - semolina mixture with onions and spice mix . Add little
water at a time to make a batter, which is sticky and wet enough to coat
all the onions properly.
4. In a
deep wok / kadhai , heat oil enough for deep frying the pakodas. Take
about 2 tbsp of this hot oil and add to the pakoda batter. Mix well with a
spoon. This steps make the fritters more crispy.
5. Drop
spoonfuls of batter into the hot oil and deep fry for 3-4 minutes until
crisp and golden brown. Turn the pakodas a few times in the oil to make
sure they color evenly.
6. Remove
the fritters with a slotted ladle and drain on the kitchen paper. Repeat
the same for rest of the batter. Slit 2-3 green chilies into 2 parts ,
making sure the parts do not fall apart. Deep fry the chilies in the same
hot oil. Remove on an absorbent
paper and sprinkle some salt on them .
7. Serve the Kanda Bhaji hot with the fried salted green chilies , a dip or chutney of your choice and piping hot Masala Chai. Enjoy these monsoon treats with your loved ones !
For more Indian street food recipes, do check my posts on
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