Zucchini Bajji/Bhonda

Zucchini Bajji/Bhonda
Ingredients:

• 1 small zucchini thinly sliced(about 1/8" thick )
• 1 cup of besan flour
• 1/2 tsp of salt
• 1/8 cup of finely chopped cilantro(optional)
• 1/4 tsp of chili powder(optional)
• 2 small chopped green chillies
• 3 cups of cooking oil (corn, vegetable, canola.your choice)
• pinch of hingh(optional)
• 1/4 tsp of baking soda

Method:
In a bowl mix besan, salt, cilantro, chili powder, green chillies with about 1/4 to 3/4 cup of water. The contents should have the consistency of tomato puree or sauce. In a wok or a pan heat oil on medium heat to about 375 degrees. The oil is hot enough when a drop of batter is dropped in the heated oil, it will rise to the surface and the oil will start bubbling around the drop of batter. When the oil is ready, add the baking soda to the batter mixture and mix well. Take a few (5 or 6) slices of zucchini and place it in the batter. Using your hands, dip each slice of zucchini into the batter, and coat both sides of the slice with batter. Drop it carefully into the hot oil. Repeat procedure, making sure that you place the remaining 5 or 6 zucchinis slices in a single layer. Do not over crowd the zucchinis in the wok. After a couple of minutes, turn the zucchinis over (use a long slotted spatula). Keep turning the zucchinis over, every now and then, till the dough covering the zucchinis are not liquidy or soft. It would take about 8 to 10 minutes for each batch to cook. Remove the fried zucchini bajji's from the oil and place them on a draining rack. Alternatively line a dish or a plate with paper towel and place the fried bajji's in a single layer. Repeat procedure till you have fried all the zucchinis you have sliced or the batter is done.
Cooking tips:
You can use a potatoes instead of zucchinis. Also you can dice the zucchinis, add it to the batter and deep fry them. You can use a large spoon to drop the batter mixture into the oil while frying. Likewise other vegetables like cauliflower, eggplant etc can be deep fried this way. Once the bajjis are cool, you can place them all together.
Serving tips:
Bajjis can be served hot or cold. Hot bajjis with hot sauce or cilantro chetni is a most favoured snack. Can also serve with date or tamarind chetni.