How to make Bhajias

I love potatoes especially any version of fried potatoes.  In as much fries, roast potatoes and lyonnaise potatoes will never go out of styl, once in a while there is need to jazz it up a bit.

I fondly remember bhajias from my childhood days. There was an old Arabic woman in the estate who would sell 1 bhajia for 2 shillings. It was so affordable and with 20 shillings you could get 10 humongous bhajias that were fried as you wait. They were served with a sauce called “ukwaju” which in my adult years I later learnt is tamarind sauce. The bhajias were so tasty and you would be such a social misfit if you didn’t have your plastic bag of hot oily bhajias in the afternoon during the school holidays.

I also remember bhajias being sold in Kenchic, a popular fast food chain in Kenya. The few times my Mum or big Sister would buy for me a packet of bhajias when we would go to town I considered  it a real treat. I remember wolfing them down fast for fear of my other sister asking me to share with her when I got home.

I’m glad that now I can recreate this treat. The recipe is really easy the only thing that you may have to go out of your way to find is Gram Flour. Also another trick to great bhajias that I have outlined below is putting the Potatoes in the frying pan one at a time, and not overflowing the pan. This way they will cook faster, crispier  and they won’t come out in one unsightly lump.

I hope you enjoy cooking and eating this as much as I did.

Serves 4

Ingredients

1 ½ cup Gram Flour
1 teaspoon Cumin powder/seeds 1 teaspoon
1 teaspoon Pounded Ginger/Ginger powder 1 teaspoon
1 small bunch Dhania/Coriander – finely chopped
Salt to taste
Pepper (optional)
Water to make the batter
10 potatoes thinly sliced
Oil for deep frying

Method

-Peel and slice the potatoes thinly. This is to ensure that when fried they cook all the way through. If sliced thick the potatoes might not cook all the way through. After peeling and slicing the potatoes drain well and set aside.
-To prepare the batter mix the gram flour, cumin, ginger, coriander, salt and pepper (optional). When they are all mixed add the water. Add a bit at a time to ensure that the consistency is slightly thick. If too thin then it will not coat the potatoes well enough.
-Add the potatoes in the bowl where the batter is and mix all to ensure that all the potatoes are well coated. As you start cooking you may notice that the batter may start thinning out, you can add more flour to maintain a thick consistency.
-As you fry the potatoes put the potatoes in the oil one slice at a time and don’t fill the pan with too many potatoes at a go. If you do they will all come out in a lump which is unsightly.
-Fry until golden and put them on a serviette to drain.
-Serve hot with a nice salad or as a snack with ketchup