How to make Homemade Bhajias
Bhajias are such a popular snack which comes with many varieties depending on where you come from. What is termed as Bhajia in Nairobi is very different from what people down the coast call Bhajias. These are snacks that you can find in any restaurant in the country and even streets down the coast.
This is an easy to make recipe and the Bhajias can be served as a meal or as a finger bite. You can make them for breakfast or pack them for your kids to carry to school as a snack.
The name ‘baji’ means green leafy vegetables. You can make your Bhajias with different vegetables if you want to make them more nutritional especially for the kids who do not like taking vegetables. You can add eggplants, cauliflower, spinach, terere(amaranth), potatoes, grated carrots,any kind of vegetable anyway. Some even add chopped white cabbages.
This recipe I am about to share is from the coast and is the easiest type of Bhajia to make.
Ingredients
2 Cups of Gram Flour
1 Cup of All Purpose Flour
2 Teaspoon Baking Powder
2 Tablespoon of Cooking Oil
Salt to Taste
2 bunches chopped Dhania (coriander)
2 large onions chopped
1 tablespoon garlic paste
1 tablespoon ginger paste
1 teaspoon turmeric
Cooking oil
Water enough to make a thick batter
Procedure
Mix the dry ingredients that are the gram flour, wheat flour, salt, turmeric and baking powder in a bowl.
Add the garlic and ginger paste
Add the cooking oil
Add the chopped onions and chopped Dhania. You can use spinach, amaranth or any other vegetable that you prefer. I use Dhania myself,
Mix all the ingredients and add water, Keep mixing until you achieve a thick batter. You can test if the batter can drop. Set the mixture aside.
In a deep frying pan, heat the oil. Once hot reduce your heat to low medium. You want your Bhajias to cook through without burning. Then with clean hands, scoop a mixture, fold your hand and squeeze out a small amount between your index finger and thumb. This is to achieve a rounder shape. You can just use a spoon for this process though. Repeat until you are done with the mixture.
Serve your Bhajias while hot as a finger snack or with tea, coffee or fresh juice. Serve with hot chutney on the side.
If you want potato Bhajias, you can use the same mixture but make it lighter. Thinly slice your potatoes and then evenly coat each slice with the mixture and deep fry about 2minutes each side under low medium heat. Repeat until all your slices are done. To know if they are well cooked, they will turn to golden brown. Serve with my vegetable chutney or tamarind chutney also known as ukwaju.
So yummy.
How I make my vegetable chutney
Ingredients
3 tomatoes
1 piece capsicum
6 cloves of garlic
Green chilies
1 big onion
1 bunch coriander
2 tablespoon cooking oil
Salt to taste
Procedure
Blend them all and serve slightly chilled.
Daisy Chepkoech is a Freelance Blog Writer, Social Media Manager and Trainer. She is also the Marketing Director at Dake Business Solutions. Daisy holds a Bachelor’s degree in Communication and Media Technology from Maseno University.
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