Brinjal Bajji Eggplant Bajji Recipe

Bajji is a popular deep-fried snack across the Indian sub-continent. While you can find bajji on the restaurant menu, these are pretty popular in the roadside tea stalls in Tamil Nadu (one of the Indian states). Some call this pakora, too, but we usually call this bajji.

Indian scallops

I usually try not to compare Indian food with western food but to give an idea, I am going with a comparison. This bajji is more like Australian potato scallops. For bajji, we use gram flour instead of all-purpose flour, and instead of potatoes, I am using brinjal. But you can make bajji with assorted veggies like potato, plantain, onion, zucchini, and of course brinjal. In Tamil Nadu, you can find plantain (vazhakkai) bajji in most of the restaurants and tiffin/snack centers. Like every other Indian recipe, you can find several recipes for bajji with different flour proportions. Today, I am going to share the proportion that I used for this brinjal bajji.

Ingredients required

Flours: For this brinjal bajji, I mainly used gram flour or desi chickpea flour (kadalai maavu, as we say in Tamil) and 1 tbsp of rice flour. Rice flour adds crispiness to the bajji. Make sure to sieve the flours for a lump-free batter. Baking soda: We need a small amount, a big fat pinch of baking soda, or ⅛ tsp of the same. It’s the secret ingredient behind the nice puffy bajji. Salt & Spice: Add salt to taste, and we usually add red chili powder to spice up the bajji. Add as per your taste preference. Add Kashmiri red chili powder for that bright color. Asafoetida: I usually add asafoetida while making bajji and pakora as it aids digestion. If you are worried about gluten content, add ½ tsp carom seeds or ¼ tsp carom seed powder. The taste profile slightly varies, though. Brinjal: I used the small brinjals for the bajji. You can use graffiti or the purple variety, including the big ones that we use for bharta. I haven’t experimented with green or white varieties. Oil: Of course, for deep-frying. Any neutral oil or any other oil of your choice will work too.

Dietary specifications

As you can see from the ingredient, the bajji is vegan and nut-free by nature. For a gluten-free version, skip the asafoetida or use gluten-free asafoetida or carom seeds instead.

Serving and storing suggestions

I don’t recommend storing bajjis for a long time. Enjoy the bajjis hot. As the bajjis stay longer, the bajjis tend to lose the puffiness and become soggy as well. We usually serve bajji with coconut chutney. But you can serve it with ketchup or green chutney or dates and tamarind chutney too. If you like tangy flavor, after deep-frying the bajji, you can sprinkle some chaat masala.

Brinjal bajji recipe with detailed step-wise pictures

Prepare the batter & heat the oil.

In a mixing bowl, sieve the gram flour and rice flour. Now add the salt, asafoetida, red chili powder, and baking soda.

Add water little by little, as required. Using a spoon or whisk, mix the flour and water to prepare the batter.

The batter should neither be thick nor too thin. The consistency should be like dosa batter. In a kadai or frying pan, add the oil and heat over medium heat.

Prepare the brinjals

Cut the brinjal into thin round slices. You can cut the brinjals and directly dip them in the batter and fry. But I usually soak them in water for 10 to 15 minutes.

I read that soaking in water (I don’t add salt, though) removes the bitterness of the eggplant. But I do it to remove the loose seeds and any worms or germs if present. But make sure to drain the water and pat them dry in a kitchen towel.

Prepare the bajji

When the oil is ready, dip the brinjal slice into the batter. Make sure both the sides are coated well and slowly drop them into the oil. You can fry 3 to 4 bajjis depending upon the frying pan size.

After 30 to 45 seconds, flip them. Fry them till they are golden brown on both sides over medium heat. Take the fried bajjis using a slotted spoon and place them on a paper towel to remove the excess oil. Similarly, make the bajji with remaining brinjal slices and batter in batches.

Serve hot with chutney or ketchup.

Recipe notes

Soaking the brinjal is optional. If soaking, make sure you drain the water thoroughly and pat the brinjal slices dry.Instead of brinjal, you can use potatoes, zucchini, or plantain. If using onion, carefully cut them into even and thin rounds. The oil should not be super hot. Adjust the temperature as required while frying. If the oil is too hot, the bajji will brown up too fast, and if the oil is not hot, the bajji will absorb more oil.The batter consistency is critical. If the batter is too thick, the veggies will be raw and unevenly cooked. If the batter is too thin, the coating will be difficult, and the bajji will absorb oil too. So add water as required. If the batter is too thin, add additional flour and salt to bring it to the desired consistency.Adjust the salt and red chili powder to taste.

Explore more eggplant recipes

If you try this brinjal/eggplant bajji, please don’t forget to comment and rate this recipe. If you have any questions, please leave a comment, and I will get to it asap. Make sure to follow me on my Pinterest for more healthy and delicious ideas! Follow me on Instagram or join my Facebook Group for more gardening and recipe updates.