A tasty vegan snack made with gram flour and eggplant. It is a popular deep-fried snack recipe across India. In South India, this snack is called bajji, and in Hindi, it's called pakora.

Servings - 4

Ingredients: 

• 1 large eggplant or aubergine 

• 1 cup gram flour | besan 

• 2 tbsp rice flour 

• 2 tbsp cornstarch 

• 1/2 tsp chilli powder 

• Salt to taste 

• 1/2 tsp carom seeds | ajwain  

• 1/4 tsp turmeric powder  

• 1/4 tsp baking soda 

• 1 tbsp oil 

• 1/2 cup water or add as required 

• Oil for deep frying, as required  

Method: 

1. Rinse, cut and thinly slice the eggplant. 

2. In a mixing bowl, add gram flour, rice flour, cornstarch, red chilli powder, salt, carom seeds, turmeric powder, baking soda, and mix well. 

3. Add oil, and water and combine to a smooth batter without lumps. 

4. Heat the oil in a deep pan, once the oil is hot, reduce the heat to medium.  

5. Now dip the sliced eggplant in the batter. 

6. Gently drop the coated eggplant into the hot oil. 

7. Fry for a minute on medium heat. 

8. Flip and fry stirring occasionally. 

9. Fry the pakora until it turns golden brown and crisp. 

10. Remove the pakoras and drain them on kitchen paper. 

11. Serve the eggplant pakora with tomato ketchup, coconut chutney or mint chutney.