423. Green chilli bhajia/bajji

 The more that you read, the more things you will know. 

The more that you learn, the more places you’ll go.

Dr. Suess

   I cannot claim to be a voracious reader, but I do love reading. I love reading fiction, and usually read books recommended by friends or family. I love reading stories based on true life but am open to reading thrillers, science fiction, romance etc. I tend to read at my own pace, sometimes just a couple of pages sometimes an entire chapter, depends on how interesting I find the story. Stories have a tendency to transport one to another world, re kindle your fantasy, create imagination and above all know a bit more about cultures, the world, different people etc. Recently I finished reading  The River Between by Ngugi wa Thiong’o. He is a Kenyan author and this is the first book of his that I have read. I want to read his other books, Weep Not Child, A Grain of Wheat, Petals of Blood to name a few. I loved his simple way of writing but getting the message across clearly. The River in Between is about two sects of a tribe faced with new religion by the early white settlers. Torn between old customs and new religion, its a story about how one young man from the Gikuyu tribe envisions a new way forward by educating the tribe and unifying both the Makuyu and Kameno. 

GREEN CHILLI BHAJIA
Makes 12 -15

½ cup moong flour (green gram flour) or besan flour (chickpea flour)
2 tbsp rice flour
½ -¾ tsp salt
¼ tsp turmeric powder (haldi)
1 tsp hot oil
½ tsp red chilli powder
¼ tsp ajwain (ajmo, carom seeds)
a pinch of asafoetida (hing)
12 to 15 long green chillis
about ½ – ⅔ cup water
a small pinch of baking soda (soda bicarbonate)

oil for deep frying

1. Wash the green chillis and pat dry with a kitchen towel.
2. Slit the chilli on one side. Remove the seeds.
3. Mix the flours, spices, oil and water to make a smooth batter.
4. Heat the oil for frying in a wok, karai over medium heat.
5. Dip one chilli in the batter and put it into the hot oil.
6. Add 3 to 4 more chillis.
7. Fry till golden brown.
8. Remove the chillis with a slotted spoon into a colander or a paper towel lined plate.
9. Fry the rest of the chillis and serve hot.

• Use chillis that are not chilli.
• To remove the seeds I tend to scrap the chilli from tip to head with a pointed knife.
• Fill chillis with a mixture of salt and ajwain before dipping them in the batter.
• The batter should not be too thick or too thin. It should coat the chilli.
• To test whether the oil is hot, drop a bit of batter in the oil. If it comes up immediately, the oil is ready.

You may want to check out the following:

 

kachoris

 

pani puri

arvi paan bhajia