Aratikaya bajji (Banana bajji)
Raw plantain fritters or aratikaya bajji or bhajiya is a word used towards the north India, a popular south Indian tea time snack. Raw banana is called as aratikaya in Telugu. It is a deep fried fritter, a popular street food; they turn out to be flavorful, crispy and tasty. Making the bajji batter to the right consistency is very important to get good taste and crispy fritters. On a rainy day, having bajji along with hot chai can never go wrong.
Ingredients required:
• Raw Banana – 1
• Gram flour – 1 cup
• Rice flour – ¼ cup
• Red chili powder – 1 teaspoon
• Coriander powder – 1 teaspoon
• Salt as per taste
• Oil for deep fry
• Turmeric powder – 1 pinch
• Cooking soda – 1 pinch
Preparation method:
• Peel and slice raw banana and them to salted water.
• In a mixing bowl add 1 cup of gram flour, ¼ cup rice flour which gives crispiness to the bajji, salt as per taste, 1 teaspoon of coriander powder, 1 teaspoon of red chili powder and a pinch of turmeric powder.
• Mix all the ingredients and gradually add enough water to make the batter of not too thick or too thin consistency.
• If you make the batter too thick it will not coat or holds on to the banana, if you make it too runny the batter begins to drip off the banana.
• Now add a pinch of cooking soda and mix it well.
• Heat oil in the pan; dip each sliced banana coated well with batter and swipe of the excess batter and drop in the oil.
• Fry them till golden brown and crispy on both sides.
• Once the bajji’s have turned golden brown on both sides scoop them out with a drainer to drain the excess oil.
• Spread a paper napkin on the plate.
• Finally transfer them from the drainer into a plate layered with oil absorbing paper napkin.
• Repeat the same process for the remaining batter and fry them until golden brown.
Tasty and crispy Aratikaya bajji is ready now
Serve them with tomato sauce or coconut chutney and enjoy with tea/coffee!
Note:
• Don’t add too much baking soda or it will drink up lots of oil.
• Mix chopped onions, green chilies, coriander leaves, lemon juice and little salt.
• Make a slit on the aratikaya bajji and stuff them just before serving.
Nutrition facts:
• Calories – 180
• Total fat – 6g
• Sodium – 200mg
• Total carbs – 20g
• Protein – 4g
