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%Piyaji Bengali Onion fritter recipe debjanir rannaghar
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Piyaji | Piyaju | Bengali Onion Pakoda | Onion Fritters Recipe

Piyaji is a popular snack in West Bengal, often found in roadside fritter shops aka chop-er dokan. Making it at home is relatively easy, as the process is simple and doesn't require any fancy ingredients. Here is a guide to creating a homemade version of this street-style snack.

Course Fritter
Cuisine Bengali
Keyword Bengali Piyaj Pakora Recipe, Bengali Piyaji Recipe, Bengali Piyaju Recipe, Debjanir Rannaghar
Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 10 minutes
Servings 20 Piyaji
Calories 81kcal
Author Debjani Chatterjee Alam
Cost Rs 100

Ingredients

  • 4 Onion big
  • 4-5 Green Chillies
  • 2 Dry Red Chillies
  • 8 Tbsp. Besan aka Gram Flour
  • 2 Tsp. Rice Flour
  • 1 Tsp. Baking Soda
  • 1 Tsp. Salt
  • 150 ml Vegetable Oil

Instructions

  • Begin by peeling the skin off of the onions and slicing them into pieces.
  • Chop up some green chilies as well.
  • Heat up around 150ml of vegetable oil in a pan.
  • Fry two dry red chilies in it until they become crispy.
  • Remove the fried chillies from the pan and set them aside.
  • Move the chopped onions to a bowl and add the fried dry red chilies and green chilies to it.
  • Add 6 tablespoons of besan (gram flour), 2 teaspoons of rice flour (optional, but necessary for a crunchy texture), 1 teaspoon of baking soda, and 1 teaspoon of salt.
  • Crumble the fried red chili and mix all of the ingredients together using your fingers for one minute.
  • The onions should start releasing moisture.
  • Add 50ml of water and mix for another minute.
  • Repeat with 50ml (or less) of water and 1 tablespoon of besan.
  • The batter should not be runny.
  • Let the mixture sit at room temperature for 15 minutes before frying Bengali onion fritters.
  • Use the same oil that was used to fry the red chillies.
  • Heat it properly before lowering the heat to medium.
  • Fry 2-3 piyaji at a time, depending on the diameter of the kadhai being used.
  • Fry each side for no more than 1 minute. Flip them over and repeat for the other side. Once they're a nice brown color, strain them.
  • Continue frying the remaining fritters using the same method.
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  • %Piyaji aka Piyaju recipe debjanir rannaghar Food Pinterest Pin

Video

Notes

  • It's important to marinate chopped onion for a short period of time and never leave cooking food unattended.
  • Use oils with high smoking points to avoid harmful compounds and ensure good ventilation when using a gas stove.
  • Mustard oil is a good alternative to vegetable oil.
  • For gluten-free Piyaji, skip rice flour and add chili pepper flakes while cooking for some heat.
  • Adjust the size of the fritters to your preference and add Carom seed to the batter for extra crunch.
  • Use a proper kadhai or non-stick pan for perfect fritters.
  • Don't store Onion Fritters or chopped onions; make them fresh and enjoy them immediately.

Nutrition

Serving: 25g | Calories: 81kcal | Carbohydrates: 3.8g | Protein: 0.8g | Fat: 7.1g | Saturated Fat: 1.4g | Cholesterol: 0mg | Sodium: 184mg | Fiber: 0.7g | Sugar: 1.3g