Vazhakkai Bajji

The secret ingredient to vazhakkai bajji is the banana or plantain, a popular ingredient in South East Asian and Asian cuisine. Like all bajjis, the vazhakkai bajji, is a type of festival food that is eaten during holidays. It is a type of fritter, which is closely related to the doughnut in the sense that it is made out of fried dough. Technically, it is more of a stuffed doughnut (a doughnut without the “O” if you will). And, a savory dish, that you will enjoy with a cup of tea or coffee.

Ingredients

vazhakkai (plantain): 1

besan: ½ cup

rice flour: ¼ cup

corn flour: 1 tsp

cooking soda: 3 pinches

asafoetida: 1/8 tsp

ajwain or jeera: 1 tsp

red chilli powder: 1 tsp

salt & water as needed

ghee: 1 tsp

hot oil: 1 tbsp

oil for deep frying

How To Make Vazhakkai Bajji

1. Combine the gram flour, red chilli powder, asafoetida, sodium bi carb, salt, corn flour, hot oil, and ghee, rice flour, and jeera together in a bowl.
1. Add water a little at a time.
2. Mix well using a whisk to make a thick batter.
• Note: The batter should not be too thick and easily coat the vazhakkai.

2. Peel off the skin of the plantain using a peeler or knife.
   1. Slice the plantain into thin or medium thick slices.
   2. Keep the plantain immersed in water until ready to use.
   3. Heat oil in kadai side by side.
3. Remove the plantain from the water.
   1. Drain the water as much as possible.
4. Dip and coat the vazhakkai with the batter.
5. Drop the plantain carefully in the hot oil.
   1. Fry them both sides until golden brown.
   2. Adjust the heat occasionally to stop the oil from fuming.
6. Continue pouring the hot oil over the bajji with a ladle as it is cooking, so it is puffed up.
7. Drain using paper towels.

Trivia

There is no formal botanical distinction between plantains and bananas.