Pyaji / Onion Bhaji / Onion Fritters

Now that monsoon is here in Abidjan...I guess you are on for some really good snacks recipes. But first...it has to be the one and only one we Bengalis know when the bits of rain thrashes on to our window panes. Its none other than, pyaji or onion pakora or onion fritters. Most of the shops who sell fritters in the evening, sell pyaji as well. And you have to visit the shops between 4-5, or otherwise most of the items are sold out.

We Bengalis are addicted to teas...and with cha / tea, there has be some “ta”!! It can be muri/puffed rice or poha or fried flattened rice/chire bhaja or chop/fritters/pakora. You will find the best Pyaji in North Kolkata, from a small street side cart near Manindra College in Shyambazar. The pyaji / onion pakoras are sold there like hot cakes. Straight from the kadai, hot and steaming vapours coming from it, they go into the paper bags, made of news papers and then they are handed over to the customers. The cart crowded with people from all the directions looks like a small swarm of bees, where only the black heads of the people are readily visible from a distance. I can't blame them...the pyaji / pakoras are as delicious as they appear to be.

Pyaji / Onion Bhaji / Onion Fritters

Makes almost 15 pyaji

Ingredients:

3 medium onions – sliced

1 inch ginger – finey minced

 A handful of fresh coriander leaves – finely chopped

1 cup of besan

1 tsp baking soda

A pinch of turmeric powder

2 green chillies – finely chopped

Salt

Enough oil to fry

Method:

In a bowl take the besan and add in ¼ cup of water.

The mix should be thick like pancake batter. If the current consistency is not like that then add more water as requires.

Then start to whip. With your hand or wire whisk, whip the besan until it becomes like heavy cream and when poured from a little height it falls like ribbon.

Now stir in the baking soda, salt, minced ginger, green chillies, turmeric powder and coriander leaves.

Mix them well and then add the sliced onions.

Heat oil in a kadai / sauce pan.

To check that whether the oil is hot enough drop a little besan into the oil. If it starts to sizzle immediately then the oil is ready.

Take a little of that besan and onions mix in tablespoon and pour into the oil.

Do not crowd the pan. Always fry the bhajis / fritters in small batches. Do not make bhajjis of large size. They take time to cook and most of the time, although the outside appears super crisp and brown the centre remains soft and cloggy. So medium size is always a safer option.

Fry them until the fritters / pyaji becomes nicely golden brown from the outside.

Take them out of the pan and place on a paper towel.

Serve hot with ketchup and some rock salt and chat masala sprinkled on top of them.