Goli Bajji / Mangalore Bajji

This evening snack has gained quite a fan following of late. It is available in roadside stalls to restaurants in Bengaluru. What I present here might look and taste a little different from what you get in the hotels these days.

This recipe that I bring here has been passed down by my grandmother. In our household this the authentic recipe for us. I hope you enjoy it too!

Whenever it rains, my daughter always demands for Goli Bajji. It is also a life saver when I suddenly have guests at tea time and need a quick snack.

Without further ado, presenting you the best companion for tea during rains… Goli Bajji.

Ingredients

1 cup Maida

1/2 cup really sour curd or buttermilk (still in consumable state though)

4 tbsp Rice flour

A pinch of baking soda – optional, you need it only if your curd is not sour enough.

Salt to taste

A pinch of asafoetida

1-2 green chillies, finely chopped

1/2 inch ginger, finely chopped

A few sprigs of curry leaves, finely chopped

A few coriander leaves, finely chopped.. say about 2 tbsp.

Oil to fry.

To enhance the taste you could also add the following, but it is optional:

1 small onion, finely chopped

2 tbsp fresh coconut, finely chopped.

Let’s get started!

In a mixing bowl, take maida, salt, rice flour and baking soda ( if you decide to add it). Mix the dry ingredients once. Now, add in the curd or buttermilk. Give it a mix. Gradually add water till you get a thick batter. The consistency of the batter should be such that you must be able to drop small dollops of it in oil. The batter must be smooth with no lumps. Take extra effort to make sure the batter is lump free else it might burst when dropped into oil.

Once you have the smooth batter, add in the remaining ingredients like green chillies, ginger, coriander leaves, curry leaves. If you are adding onions and fresh coconut, add them now. Don’t forget the magical Mr. Asafoetida. Mix them into the batter.

Heat oil in a kadai. Once the oil is heated, keep in a low to medium flame. Drop dollops of the batter into the oil. As soon as it is dropped, the batter comes to the surface with a rather round shape. Fry it till they turn light brown in color. You don’t have to fry them till you get dark shade of brown like other Bajjis. If you really want them slightly darker you can add a pinch sugar to the batter before frying.

Once the Bajjis are beautiful golden color remove them from the oil on to a colander lined with tissues or paper napkins. Goli Bajjis are now ready. Enjoy them with chutney or tomato sauce. Don’t forget the cup of tea with it. Enjoy!