Unripe Banana Bajji – a crispy and delicious fritter made of unripe banana, gram flour and spices. It is gluten free and vegan dish perfect as an evening snack with a cup of tea.
It is also termed aratikaya bajji, vazhakkai bajji or balekai bajji in various southern Indian regions.
Difference Between Pakoda and Bajji
Often times, the words bajji and pakoda are used interchangably. But in south India, they both represent different dishes. Although, both are made with gram flour, the preparation method, batter consistency and texture differs significantly. Pakodas are crispy whereas bajjis are slightly crispy outer but soft inside.
Pakodas are made with either a single vegetable or combination of several vegetables. Shredded vegetables are combined with spices and flour, just a dash of water is only added if necessary to adjust consistency. Then pakodas are deep fried in oil. Check out mixed vegetable pakora and cabbage pakoda recipes on the blog.
On the other hand, to make bajjis, first medium thick batter is prepared by combining flour and spices with water. Then thinly sliced strips of vegetables are coated with batter and deep fried in oil.
Ingredients
- Spices: Tumeric powder, red chilli powder, coriander powder, cumin powder and salt.
- Liquid: Water to make batter and oil to deep fry bajjis.
- Vegetables and Pantry Ingredients: Unripe banana (raw banana), baking soda, rice flour and gram flour.
See the recipe card for quantities.
Step by Step Instructions
Step 1: Peel the unripe bananas/plantains and slice them into thin strips. Keep the slices in a bowl of water.
Step 2: Combine red chili powder, turmeric powder, and salt in a mixing bowl.
Step 3: Add a dash of water (around 2 or 3 tablespoons) and mix well to make a paste.
Step 4: Coat both sides of the banana slice with the masala and place it in a bowl.
Step 5: Repeat the process with the remaining slices.
Step 6: Now add gram flour, rice flour, and cumin into the bowl.
Step 7: Gradually add water to the flour and whisk until you get a smooth, lump-free batter. The batter should be thick enough to coat the plantain slices but not too runny.
Step 8: Whisk the batter to aerate in the same direction for 2-3 minutes.
Step 9: Heat oil in a deep frying pan over medium heat.
Step 10: Dip each masala coated plantain slice into the batter, ensuring it’s well-coated, and gently slide it into the hot oil.
Step 11: Fry the bajjis in batches, making sure not to overcrowd the pan. Fry until they are golden brown and crispy on both sides.
Remove the fried bajjis with a slotted spoon and drain them on paper towels to remove excess oil.
Serve the aratikaya bajji hot with coconut chutney, tomato ketchup, or a cup of tea.
Substitutions and Variations
Spices: You can use slightly crushed cumin seeds instead of cumin powder. Alternatively, use ajwain (carom seeds) if you have it on hand.
Green Chillies: Add finely chopped chillies in the batter for fiery taste.
Storage
Banana bajjis taste best when they are freshly fried and crispy. Although you can store leftover bajjis in the fridge, they won’t be as fresh in terms of texture and taste.
Fridge: Place the leftover bajjis in a container and store them in the fridge. Use an airtight container to prevent any odours from seeping in from the fridge .
Reheat: When you’re ready to serve the bajjis, reheat them in an air fryer. This will help restore a little crispiness. You can also reheat them in an oven untl they are hot and crisp.
Serving Suggestions
Aratikaya bajji pairs well with a variety of accompaniments such as peanut chutney, tomato mint chutey, coconut chutney or just tomato ketchup.
Another way to serve bajjis is with spicy and tangy pickles such as allam pachadi, tomato pachadi or munakkaya pachadi.
A cup of masala chai or rose milk tea and a plate of banana bajji is pure bliss.
Tips and Tricks
Check Oil is Ready: When you drop a little bit of batter into the oil, it will sizzle and rise to the surface quickly if the oil is ready.
Whisk Batter: Whisk batter in the same direction for 2-3 minutes to aerate.
Baking Soda: Adding a small pinch of baking soda helps bajji puff up and crispy. So try not to skip it.
Batter Consistency: Ensure that the batter has the right consistency. It should have enough thickness to coat the back of a spoon, but not too much. Adjust the water or flour quantity as necessary. Too thick batter results in hard bajjis instead of crispy and the thin batter won’t coat banana well.
Fry in Batches: Don’t overcrowd the frying pan or kadai. Fry the banana bajji in multiple batches to ensure they cook evenly and turn crispy.
Sieve the flour: Ensure to sieve the gram flour before making the batter to break the lumps and to remove any debris or bugs if present.
Soak Sliced Banana: Soak peeled and sliced banana in a bowl of water to prevent it from browning.
Related
Looking for other deep fried snack recipes? Try these:
Pairing
KEEP IN TOUCH
Do let me know if you try this crispy and crunchy banana bajji recipe. If you like this recipe kindly consider rating it using stars in the comment section or on the recipe card to help more people find this recipe online. You can stay up to date by following me on Facebook, Pinterest, Instagram or subscribing to my Youtube channel. Or why not subscribe to my blog and get simple recipes straight to your inbox?
Banana Bajji (Aratikaya Bajji)
Equipment
- 1 bowl/plate
- 1 Skillet/Frying Pan
- 1 Slotted Spoon
Ingredients
1 Cup = 250ml ; 1 Tablespoon = 15ml ; 1 Teaspoon = 5ml
- 1 big Unripe Banana
- ½ Teaspoon Turmeric Powder
- 1 Teaspoon Red Chilli Powder
- ½ Teaspoon Coriander Powder
- 1 Teaspoon Cumin Powder
- Salt as required
- 1 Cup Gram Flour/ Besan
- 2 Tablespoons Rice Flour
- ½ Teaspoon Baking Soda
- ¾ Cup Water adjust to get right consistency
- Oil for deep frying
Instructions
- Peel the unripe bananas/plantains and slice them into thin strips. Keep the slices in a bowl of water to prevent them from browning.1 big Unripe Banana
- Combine red chili powder, turmeric powder, cumin powder, coriander powder and salt in a mixing bowl.½ Teaspoon Turmeric Powder, 1 Teaspoon Red Chilli Powder, ½ Teaspoon Coriander Powder, 1 Teaspoon Cumin Powder, Salt
- Add a little water and mix well to make a paste.¾ Cup Water
- Coat both sides of banana slice with the masala and place it in a bowl.
- Repeat the process with the remaining slices.
- Now add gram flour, rice flour, and cumin into the bowl.1 Cup Gram Flour/ Besan, 2 Tablespoons Rice Flour, ½ Teaspoon Baking Soda
- Gradually add water to the flour and whisk until you get a smooth, lump-free batter. The batter should be thick enough to coat the plantain slices but not too runny.¾ Cup Water
- Whisk the batter to aerate in the same direction for 2-3 minutes.
- Heat oil in a deep frying pan over medium heat.Oil
- Dip each masala coated plantain slice into the batter, ensuring it's well-coated, and gently slide it into the hot oil.
- Fry the bajjis in batches, making sure not to overcrowd the pan. Fry until they are golden brown and crispy on both sides.
Notes
Nutrition
Welcome to Flavours Treat. I share vegetarian recipes made with wholesome, mostly fresh ingredients. Every recipe has easy-to-follow instructions with process shots (detailed step-wise pictures), a short video and lots of tips to help your cooking journey. Read more
