Cabbage Mashinga Palle (Drumstick Leaves) Bajo/ Bajia/ Fritters.

“Cabbage Mashinga Palle (Drumstick Leaves) Bajo/ Bajia/ Fritters” … delicious crisp fried bajos that can be relished during lunch/ dinner or as a snack during tea time too … Yummilicious …

** Bajias or Bajos as called in Konkani is the most loved universal deep fried snack and in my home it is no different. Both hubby and me love deep fried snack and we try our level best to curtail it for health reasons but somehow I always end up preparing a few. There was a time when I used to deep fry loads of them happily when I had guests coming over for lunch, but now it is not so, with age you somehow let go off things and adjust to modern style of living. It is always better to live within small desires happily than having to regret later. I have drastically cut down on preparation quantity but I definitely prepare them on weekly basis just to satisfy our craves, that’s it. Today I prepared these bajo’s with cabbage and drumstick leaves and they tasted wonderful. Sharing the recipe below, do try it out and enjoy with your family and friends. My motto is if eating everything within limits then there is nothing to fear.

 ** Here is my simple method of preparing “Cabbage Mashinga Palle (Drumstick Leaves) Bajo/ Bajia/ Fritters” … My Style …

 ** Pick, clean and finely chop one cup of drumstick leaves (mashinga pallo/ moringa leaves). Also finely chop about one heaped cup of cabbage and keep them also ready aside.

** In a wide stainless steel bowl add in 2 cups of besan (bengal gram flour), 1 tblsp of red chilly powder, 1 tblsp of rice flour, ½ - 1 tsp of hing (asafoetida) powder, pinch of haldi (turmeric powder), 2-3 green chillies finely chopped (Optional), salt to taste, pinch of amchoor powder, ½ tsp of cooking soda and mix well.

** To the above ingredients add in the finely chopped drumstick leaves and cabbage and mix well. Add about a cup of water and start binding all together, keep adding little by little water till you get the mixture into a dropping consistency. Cover and keep this aside for about 15-20 minutes to soften the flours.

** Now mix the mixture once again properly and if too dry add in little bit of water and mix the same. Lastly add in 2 tblsp of raw coriander seeds to the batter and mix well (Option, but in my home we love the crunch it adds to bajos). You should be able to make a rolling smooth soft ball with the batter with one hand on the rim of the bowl for the right consistency (like that of goli bajo).

** Heat plenty of oil in a thick bottomed kadai/ deep frying pan and when it comes to smoking hot, reduce the flame to medium and wait for 5 mins. Take a small pinch of the batter and drop in the oil, if it comes up round and nice within few minutes it means the oil is of correct temperature for frying. Keep the temperature even throughout frying of the baje/bajo’s. 

** Drop medium sized balls of the batter making it into round shape with the help of your fingers and running the dough on the rim of the bowl. Fry 6-8 balls at a time (the no. of balls depends upon the size of the kadai). Keep stirring the balls / bajo’s and rolling them to fry evenly on all sides. When they become evenly browned and crispy, remove on an absorbent paper for the excess oil to drain off. Prepare the remaining dough similarly and fry in batches until all are done.

** “Cabbage Mashinga Palle (Drumstick Leaves) Bajo/ Bajia/ Fritters” are done and ready to be served. You can serve them during lunch/ dinner time along with other dishes or as a snack with some chutney or tomato ketchup too. Anyway you serve them they are tasty and can be relished with joy. Do try these out and enjoy with your family and friends.