3 Cups chickpea flour (gram flour)
½ Cup rice flour
1 Teaspoon ground red pepper
1 1/4 Teaspoons salt or to taste
¼ Teaspoon ground black pepper or white pepper (optional)
¼ Teaspoon cumin powder
1 Pinch of baking soda
2 Cups water
Mix all the above ingredients to make thin batter and keep it aside.
Vegetables
2 Medium size Idaho or russet potatoes
1 Large eggplant or two small eggplants
2 Large cauliflower flowerets
½ Red bell pepper
½ Green bell pepper
1 Zucchini
15 Ajwain leaves (if available)
1 Medium onion
2 1/2 Cups oil (depending on the size of the frying pan.)
Wash and peel potatoes. Cut them into 1/8-inch discs and soak them in water. Cut large eggplant in to ¼-inch slices and keep them in the water. If the slices are too big cut them in to half. Break two large flowerets from cauliflower and slice them thin. Cut red and green peppers in to ½ inch strips. Cut zucchini in to thin slices or ¼ inch discs. Wash and wipe ajwain leaves. Peel onion and cut it in to ¼ inch slices being careful not to let them break apart.
Heat oil in a frying pan in medium high. Drain potatoes and blot them with paper towels to remove excess water. Dip each piece in to chickpea flour batter and drop it carefully in to hot oil. Fry both sides until light brown. Remove bajjies on to three or four layers of paper towels with slotted spoon to absorb excess oil. Repeat this with other vegetables. You can eat them plain or with any chutney.
Note: If you have leftover batter add chopped green chilies, ginger, fresh coriander leaves, onions and two curry leaves. Drop them like clusters in to the oil. Fry until light brown. Grand finale is the name of this dish.
You do not have to have all the above vegetables to make bajjies. You can use whatever vegetables you have in hand. You can also use fresh spinach leaves, pan leaves, plantain and yellow squash thin slices or discs.
