Kanda Bhajji Recipe

What are Pakodas?

Yummy pakodas are popularly sold in restaurants and even as street food. They are fried fitter and called Pakora, pakodi, bhajiya, bhajji, bhaji. An easy to make snack it is the vegetable used to deep fry is used as a prefix to the word bhaji or bhajji. You have kanda bhaji, Mirchi bhaji. In Goa, the potato bhaji is called batat kappa.

How does one make Pakoras?

One word answer is deep-frying! You can also tr air frying and baking but I did not like the end result. Another low-fat option is the Appe Patra or the paniyaram pan. But if you want crisp Bhajiya deep frying is the answer.

• To make a pakoda you choose the main ingredient after it is dipped in a thick batter made from besan or Bengal gram flour and spices like chilli powder, ajwain, turmeric, salt.
• Your choices for the main ingredients are
  • onion, potato, brinjal or eggplant, raw banana or plantain, paneer, cauliflower, Mirchi or chilli pepper, tomatoes, capsicum, snake gourd, ridge gourd or turai, breadfruit. Try frying bread too!
  • leafy vegetables like palak or spinach, ajwain are fried too.
• You can also deep fry groundnuts, chicken, fish, eggs.

So, what is onion pakora? Why is it different?

When onions are deep-fried in the besan batter they are called onion pakora or kanda bhaji.

However, kanda bhajji or onion pakoda made differently from the regular pakoda. There is no water added to the batter and this keeps the bhajiyas very crisp.

How to make crispy pakodas? Can we use baking powder or cooking soda to make pakora?

Making crisp bhajiya or pakoda is an art that is easy to learn.

• Remember that the oil needs to be hot, not smoking hot but hot enough.
  • To test, drop a small blob of batter, in the hot oil, it should rise slowly to the surface. If it rises immediately, oil is too hot-cool the oil your vegetable will not cook well and the end product will be soggy.
  • If the batter stays at the bottom, go on wait for some more time and heat.
• Now, adding baking powder or soda is not recommended. When you are mixing the batter add a few teaspoons of hot oil to the batter.
• One tip is to add a small lemon sized ball of cooked toor dal. In Marathi it is called Varan cha gola this is my husband’s grandmothers tip.
• Remember to fry in small batches so that the oil remains hot constantly. The Result crispy pakodas.
• One more thing if you need to add more oil to your pan then please wait till you have removed your batch of bhajiya, then add the oil and heat it.

How do you serve pakoda?

• In an Indian wedding, you will not get onion bhajiya but some form of it will form a part of the wedding buffet. 
• Any pakoda that is served as a snack, an appetizer is served with tomato sauce, mint chutney and tamarind chutney.

Are pakoras good for health?

Million-dollar question… no definitely not eat in moderation.

Now let's make Kanda Bhijiya

• Slice the onions thin, add the chillies, coriander leaves, turmeric, red chilli powder, ajwain, hing and mix well, kneading the onions so that there is water released by the onions. Set aside for about ½ an hour.
• Keep oil in a deep kadhai/wok to heat.
• Add the ½ the besan, rice flour to the onion slices and stir a little. Add 2-3 teaspoon of hot oil on the flour. You should get the sound of the flour sizzling. Mix with a spoon.
•  Add as much flour as needed to form a dough. If it is a bit on the dry side its okay it will loosen up as time goes by.
• Your oil is hot add small balls of the dough to the hot oil. Remember not to crowd the wok. I like to use my fingers and sprinkle the batter on the oil. Please be careful the oil is hot, you need to do this gently.
• Fry on medium heat till golden brown. Flip over and fry on the other side.
• Once done drain on a tissue and serve hot with a dip/ sauce of your choice.

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