Monday, May 27, 2013

Onion bajji

Onion (Vengayam) bajji is a popular snack of India similar to onion rings. Though it is mostly served as snack , sometimes I make this bajji as side dish with sambar rice during weekends or nights when we need something more delicious than the usual side dish.  I am narrating my recipe for vengaya bajji.
Vengaya bajji (photo updated : Feb 2014)

Ingredients (for 10 pieces) :
Red Onion - 2
Besan flour (kadalai mavu) - 3/4 cup
dosa batter - 1/4 cup
(or) rice flour - 2 tbsp
salt - to taste
red chilly powder - 1 tsp
hing (asafoetida)- 1/8 tsp
baking soda - 1/2 tsp
garlic - 2 pieces (finely ground)
ajwain (omam / bishop weed) - 1/4 tsp
red food color - a pinch (optional)
oil - to deep fry (200 ml)

Method:
Peel the onion. Slice it into thin (1/4 inch thick approx) round pieces, using a knife and cutting board. Carefully cut the onion, so that the concentric pieces remain intact.

Grind the garlic and omam to a fine paste with 1 tsp water. Mix all the above (except oil) along with 1/4 cup water to a thick batter. Add more water if needed, but keep the batter like thick idly batter ,otherwise the bajjis will absorb more oil.

Heat oil in a wok. As it gets smoky hot, reduce flame and keep in medium flame.

Dip the onion slices in the batter and put it on the hot oil.  Do not clutter. Flip and fry both sides. Drain oil and take out.

Onion bajji / fritter is ready!

Serving suggestions:
Serve hot as snack along with hot coffee or tea during rainy / winter season.
Coconut chutney or tomato ketchup are good side dishes for these fries.

Wednesday, May 22, 2013

Sweet potato boli

Boli is a kind of sweet paratha prepared in Tamilnadu, India. We can see many varieties of stuffing for boli. In Chennai, one can see some shops selling this boli alone, as they are very popular there.
Preparing pooran boli / oppittu (with channa dal stuffing) at home is a time consuming job, as preparing the stuffing demands many steps like pressure cooking the dal, preparing jaggery solution, making a soft ball stage pooran in a wok etc.,.  But this sweet potato boli is comparatively easy, as the stuffing can be made quick, if we have some boiled sweet potatoes and chapati dough.
I made this as lunch box snack for hubby and I love the way it came out easier and tasty. Try this and enjoy!

Sweet potato boli.

Sweet potato stuffing.

For stuffing (pooranam):
Sweet potato - 1 (large)
brown sugar - 2 tbsp
shredded coconut - 1 tbsp
cardamom powder - 1/2 tsp
Outer layer:
Wheat flour - 1 cup + 1/2 cup
salt - a pinch
water - to knead
sesame oil - few tbsp
Ghee - 2 tsp

Method:
*Boil or pressure cook the sweet potato. Peel and mash with hand. Add the ingredients in stuffing and mix well without lumps. Divide it into small balls of key-lime size. Keep aside. This is the stuffing for boli.
*Put the wheat flour in a large mixing bowl. Add salt, mix well. Slowly add water and knead to a thick soft dough (just like chapati dough). Add 2 tbsp sesame oil and knead again very well, so that the dough becomes very soft and pliable.
*Divide the dough into equal size balls (say 6 balls).
* Take one ball, sprinkle some dry wheat flour on the rolling board. Press using a rolling pin to a small circle (3 inch dia).
* Place one sweet potato stuffing inside, fold like a pouch. Sprinkle more flour and roll carefully (without much pressure) to a 6 inch circle.
* Heat a tawa , apply few drops of oil , fry the boli both sides in low heat for 1 minute each side.
* Take out, brush few drops of  ghee, let cool for 1 minute and keep inside an airtight container.
Repeat the procedure for all the dough balls.

Sweet potato boli is ready!

Serving suggestion:
Serve hot as snack.

Note:
Instead of wheat flour it is traditional to use maida / All purpose flour.
Keep the kneaded  AP flour dough for 6 hours in room temperature for a more workable dough.


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