Plantain Fritters/ Pazha Bajji

Plantain fritters/ Pazha Bajji (Tamil Nadu)/ Pazham Pori (Kerala) is simple and deliciously sweet snack however the South Indian way. It can be a perfect sweet and crispy snack to your evening tea or a dessert when served with a big glob of whipped cream or ice cream.


My recent visit to Central America (Amazon jungle) bears plentiful of fruits such as papayas, maracuya or passion fruit, chirimoya or custard apple and mangoes. Peruvians adore plantains and bananas among other fruits  as its part of their everyday food. One can have these raw, boiled, grilled, thinly sliced and deep fried (called tajadas); or smashed and deep fried (called tostones). It accompanies almost every dish be it typical meat or fish. 




Plantains belong to the Banana family however there are some differences. Plantains are starchier, contain less sugar than bananas and are much more versatile as a cooking ingredient as you can make both savory and sweet dishes with them. Both green plantains as well as ripe yellow plantains are used widely in South Indian and South American cuisines. Unlike bananas, plantains are typically cooked before consumption.In terms of nutritional value, both are high in potassium, magnesium and iron. Bananas however have higher antioxidants as compared to plantains.  But plantains have less sugar and low on the glycemic index scale and hence good for diabetic patients.  For some folks though, plantains can cause flatulence or gas.


I was reminded of my days in Coimbatore (Tamil Nadu) where I grew up snacking on the "Pazha Bajji" on sunday evenings. My mom learned to make these from her childhood Mallu friend as this recipe originated from Palakkad (Kerala) as "Pazham Pori". The actual recipe usually goes for the well ripened plantains or nendra pazham. I prefer the ripe ones but not the ones that gets mushy in order to keep the fritters in shape. Rice flour is added for crispness and turmeric is optional as it's used mainly for color. 


Coconut oil is the healthiest oil for deep frying and will be your best choice overall. Studies have shown that even after 8 hours of continuous deep frying at 365°F (180°C), its quality does not deteriorate. Over 90% of the fatty acids in coconut oil are saturated, which makes it very resistant to heat. Saturated fats used to be considered unhealthy, but new studies show that they are a completely harmless source of energy for humans. Additionally, coconut oil has numerous health benefits. Please click here for an excellent article "28 Science-Verified Health Benefits of Coconut Oil" by Helen Nichols for more knowledge about coconut oil and its benefits. 


As much as I love all the ways to eat bananas/ plantains, what I can't resist is these sweet fried plantain fritters. Enjoy with a piping hot tea or coffee or with whipped cream :) 



PREP TIME
COOK TIME
TOTAL TIME

Category: Snack, Dessert
Cuisine: Indian
Level: Easy
Serves: 4-6

Nutrition Facts
Servings 6.0
Amount Per Serving
calories 257
% Daily Value *
Total Fat 7 g11 %
Saturated Fat 6 g30 %
Monounsaturated Fat 1g
Polyunsaturated Fat 1 g
Trans Fat 0 g
Cholesterol 0 mg0 %
Sodium 54 mg2 %
Potassium 5 mg0 %
Total Carbohydrate 44g15 %
Dietary Fiber 0 g1 %
Sugars 12 g
Protein 3 g7 %
Vitamin A0 %
Vitamin C0 %
Calcium0 %
Iron6 %
* The Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet, so your values may change depending on your calorie needs. The values here may not be 100% accurate because the recipes have not been professionally evaluated nor have they been evaluated by the U.S. FDA.
INGREDIENTS 
1. Plantain ripe - 2 (Nendram)
2. All purpose flour (unbleached)/ maida - 1 cup
3. Rice flour - 4 tablespoons
4. Baking soda - 1/8 teaspoon
5. Salt - 1 pinch
6. Turmeric powder 
7. Sugar - 3 teaspoons
8. Water as required (approximately less than 3/4 cup)
9. Coconut oil  for frying 


DIRECTIONS

1. Peel the ripe and firm plantains and cut each plantain into 3 equal parts. Now cut the pieces into halves. 



2. To prepare the batter, in a medium bowl, add the all purpose flour, rice flour, salt, sugar, baking soda and turmeric (for color).


3. Add to this required water to make a smooth semi-thick batter without lumps.  Make sure the consistency of the batter is not too runny nor very thick. You must had the water slowly as you mix with a spoon or fork. 


4. Heat coconut oil in a kadai or pan. When the oil is hot enough dip the plantains individually coating well on all sides. Gently drop it in the oil and fry in medium heat until slightly golden (about a minute or two) and flip to cook the other side.*


5. Using a slotted spoon remove when golden and crisp and drain excess oil on paper towel. Serve hot with steaming hot cup of tea or coffee!

NOTES AND TIPS

1. When deep frying in oil make sure the oil is heated well and flip only once else the fritters will absorb more oil.  

2. Plantain must be ripe but not  too soft as it gets mushy and loses shape.




Comments

  1. I remember the great time we all had at Amazon Jungle eating that. Awesome! I think the secret lies in getting right banana, its shouldn't be too ripe at the same time too raw as well. Do you mean the other variety called Nerendra pazham, which is used to make chips as well. Whats the secret in using Rice flour? i thought bajji made out of besan? Just curious to know.

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    Replies
    1. Same here Kiru :) Yes, Nendram Pazham is perfect. This sweet fritter (bajji) is usually made with maida/ all purpose only. Added to this goes the rice flour which gives extra crispiness. Spicy bajji's are perfect when made with besan. Try and keep me posted, most importantly its vegan :)

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  2. Looks so yummy and tempting Amudha. Love the pictures. Will definitely make it.

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  3. Takes me back to the amazing time where we had delicious peruvian food. I still really miss the trip! It was an amazing trip together. Awesome job! Very tasty aunty! :)

    ReplyDelete

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