Friday, January 20, 2012
Kelyachi Bhaji/ Ripe Banana Fritters
Many months ago, when I was shopping at my favourite wet market in Singapore, I ran into one of my parents' long lost family friend. And so, in the middle of the market ensued a one-sided conversation that went more or less on the following lines - oh you've grown up so much, never thought I would meet you in Singapore, how are mama and papa, oh I can't believe that you now have a daughter of your own.......if you've ever met someone who hasn't seen you in like 20 years (which was the case with this aunty - my parents and she had lost touch with each other after she moved cities), you would have a fair bit of idea about how the conversation was going!
Aunty, obviously, had not had enough of catching up and invited me home. I had a very faint recollection of her being a fabulous cook and so, was in fact secretly glad that she had invited me over.
It was a lovely evening - there is something very entertaining in listening to the older generation reminisce about the days gone by, especially when such conversations are accompanied by delicious food and a steaming hot cup of tea. That evening, in addition to batata vada and khandvi, Aunty had made some delicious ripe banana pakoras. The taste was very familiar; my mom used to make something similar.
"These are delicious," I told her. "Mama used to make something similar."
"Not similar....your mom used to prepare exactly the same bhajis. In fact, I learnt it from her. I knew you liked these. Actually you know, when you were a child......" and she went on to recount some embarrassing account from my childhood as I continued to nibble, red-faced, on the delicious banana bhajis.
In my pursuit of making newer things like banana bread, I had forgotten about these bhajis. But I remember my mom making thesewhenever if ever we had over-ripe bananas lying around at home. These bhajis are the easiest and quickest way of using them ripe bananas.
Kelyachi bhaji/ Ripe Banana Fritters
Ingredients:
Mashed over-ripe bananas: 1/3 cup
Whole wheat flour (atta)*: 2 tbsps - 3 tbsps
Jaggery: 2 tsps, grated
Cinnamon powder: 1/2 tsp OR cardamom powder: 1/4 tsp
Salt: a pinch
Oil for deep frying
* if you are using whole wheat pastry flour, grind it in your spice grinder to get a finer texture.
Method:
Add the jaggery, cinnamon powder and salt to the mashed bananas and mix well. Then add the flour, one tbsp at a time till your get a batter of dropping consistency.
Heat oil in a deep wok. When the oil is sufficiently hot, drop the heat to medium. Add a teaspoonful of batter and fry till the bhajis are evenly brown.
If you, like me, are averse to deep frying, you could also make these in a paniyaram pan.
Make the batter as above. Add a few drops of oil in each hole of the pan. When hot, fill with the batter.
Drizzle a few drops of oil around the sides, cover and cook for about 3-4 minutes. Using a chopstick, flip the bhajis and cook for another 3 minutes or until evenly brown.
Serve hot with a cup of steaming hot tea. Enjoy!
Aunty, obviously, had not had enough of catching up and invited me home. I had a very faint recollection of her being a fabulous cook and so, was in fact secretly glad that she had invited me over.
It was a lovely evening - there is something very entertaining in listening to the older generation reminisce about the days gone by, especially when such conversations are accompanied by delicious food and a steaming hot cup of tea. That evening, in addition to batata vada and khandvi, Aunty had made some delicious ripe banana pakoras. The taste was very familiar; my mom used to make something similar.
"These are delicious," I told her. "Mama used to make something similar."
"Not similar....your mom used to prepare exactly the same bhajis. In fact, I learnt it from her. I knew you liked these. Actually you know, when you were a child......" and she went on to recount some embarrassing account from my childhood as I continued to nibble, red-faced, on the delicious banana bhajis.
In my pursuit of making newer things like banana bread, I had forgotten about these bhajis. But I remember my mom making these
Kelyachi bhaji/ Ripe Banana Fritters
Ingredients:
Mashed over-ripe bananas: 1/3 cup
Whole wheat flour (atta)*: 2 tbsps - 3 tbsps
Jaggery: 2 tsps, grated
Cinnamon powder: 1/2 tsp OR cardamom powder: 1/4 tsp
Salt: a pinch
Oil for deep frying
* if you are using whole wheat pastry flour, grind it in your spice grinder to get a finer texture.
Method:
Add the jaggery, cinnamon powder and salt to the mashed bananas and mix well. Then add the flour, one tbsp at a time till your get a batter of dropping consistency.
Heat oil in a deep wok. When the oil is sufficiently hot, drop the heat to medium. Add a teaspoonful of batter and fry till the bhajis are evenly brown.
If you, like me, are averse to deep frying, you could also make these in a paniyaram pan.
Make the batter as above. Add a few drops of oil in each hole of the pan. When hot, fill with the batter.
Drizzle a few drops of oil around the sides, cover and cook for about 3-4 minutes. Using a chopstick, flip the bhajis and cook for another 3 minutes or until evenly brown.
Serve hot with a cup of steaming hot tea. Enjoy!
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Loved this post Aqua !!
ReplyDeleteThis pan I have to get very soon, more for the paniarams I so want to make in this pan :-)
Reading the name bajji I thought these are savory fritters, The same thing is actually called 'kele ke gulgule' in our part of the world. Long time I made these, used to be my daughters' fave along with banana bread and everything banana in fact.
A nice read.
Mouthwatering here, wat a terrific and super tempting banana fritters.
ReplyDeleteWhat a delicious treat! Especially the appe pan version.
ReplyDeleteI make banana bhajis like regular bhajis, by dipping slices of banana in besan batter and frying. The sweet/spicy taste is incredible.
Mom used to make this too but i think in kerala we call some other name.
ReplyDeleteAwesome snack dear ... In Kerala I think they call it pazha bajji and in Tamil Nadu we call it "Suyiyam"... no matter what the name , it tastes delicious..
ReplyDeleteReva
I also make these quiet regularly !! Fritters looks yummy !!
ReplyDeleteOngoing Event - CC-Chocolate Fest
delicious fritters.
ReplyDeletehow nice to bump into long lost family friends, best ever ....it used to be cooked even at out home, not how wat combinations it were, time it do them, now enough of banana bread!
ReplyDeleteGreat recipe loved the appe-patra idea.My mom makes puris using ripe banans in a similar way.will try your recipe
ReplyDeletenice recipe..i should try
ReplyDeleteI am partial when it comes to bananas. I love banana chips, am ok with banana bread and since I have never had banana fritters, I will hold my judgement. They do look yummy though and I may just make them one of these days. :-)
ReplyDeleteLooks yummy..
ReplyDeletehttp://servidocom.blogspot.com
My Mom makes ripe banana bhajis too. I loved them. Amazingly I never got around to making them. The appe pan is a good idea
ReplyDelete