Indian
Vegan
Gluten freeVazhakkai bajji
Raw banana fritters
வாழைக்காய் பஜ்ஜி: thin raw banana slices in a spiced gram flour batter, fried for tea time
Every Chennai beach stall and every Tamil wedding tiffin has a tray of vazhakkai bajji, long thin slices of raw plantain in a soft, puffy, red-tinged coat. They are best eaten minutes out of the oil around 5 pm, with coconut chutney and a tumbler of coffee. The mistake is slicing too thick: the banana stays starchy and hard while the batter overbrowns, so cut slices 2–3 mm thin, ideally on a mandoline, lengthways. Chef's tip: a spoonful of rice flour and a pinch of hot oil whisked into the batter makes the coating crisp outside and keeps it from going soggy.
- Prep
- 12 min
- Cook
- 18 min
- Difficulty
- Easy
- Serves
- 4
- Per serving
- 280 kcal
Ingredients
For the banana
- 2 raw green banana (plantain)peeled
For the batter
- 4 oz besan (gram flour)
- 2 tbsp rice flour
- 1 pinch bicarbonate of soda
- ¾ tsp salt
- ¾ cup waterabout
For frying
- 3 ¼ cups groundnut or sunflower oil
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Method
0/7 doneStep 1: Whisk 4 oz besan (gram flour), 2 tbsp rice flour, 1 tsp Kashmiri red chilli powder, ¼ tsp gluten-free asafoetida (hing), 1 pinch bicarbonate of soda and ¾ tsp salt, then add ¾ cup water gradually to a smooth batter that coats a spoon thickly, like pancake batter.
4 minStep 2: Pour 3 ¼ cups groundnut or sunflower oil into a heavy kadai or deep pan, no more than a third of its depth, and heat over medium-high to 175–350°F. No thermometer? Drop in a small cube of bread: it should sizzle at once and turn golden in about 40 seconds. Keep a lid and a dry tray nearby and never leave the hot oil unattended.
8 minStep 3: Whisk 1 tablespoon of the hot oil into the batter.
1 minStep 4: Slice the 2 raw green banana (plantain) lengthways into 2–3 mm slices. Slice just before frying so they don't darken.
3 minStep 5: Dip each slice in the batter, let the excess drip off and slide 4–5 into the oil. A drop of batter should rise at once with steady bubbles.
2 minStep 6: Fry, turning once, until puffed and golden with a few darker spots, about 3 minutes. They are done when the bubbling slows and the coat feels firm when tapped with a spoon.
10 minStep 7: Drain on kitchen paper and serve straight away with coconut chutney.
1 min
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 280 kcal
- Protein
- 7 g
- Carbs
- 34 g
- Fat
- 13 g
- Fibre
- 5 g
Nutrition values are estimates.
KrazyBadal
Good to know
- How long does vazhakkai bajji take?
- About 30 minutes in total: 12 minutes to prepare and 18 minutes to cook.
- How many people does it serve?
- 4 as written. Change the servings above the ingredients and every amount scales to match.
- Is it vegan?
- Yes. It has no meat, fish, dairy or eggs.
- Is it gluten free?
- Yes, as written. Check the labels on stock, sauces and spice mixes, which sometimes contain gluten.
- What can I use instead of raw green banana (plantain)?
- Mango, same weight (in smoothies and shakes).
- What can I use instead of kashmiri red chilli powder?
- Cayenne, half the amount (hotter).
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Perfect for:Monsoon