ALOO BHUJIA

    Aloo Bhujia is a popular Bikaneri Namkeen commonly remembered along with Haldirams who popularized the snack around the world. My son & my brother love this snack. I usually buy big packs of these Haldiram Aloo Bhujias whenever I can get hold of it. This recipe is my trial with the all-time favourite snack - Aloo Bhujia.

    Bikaneri Bhujias are quite famous in & around India & its popularity is widespread around the world. Bhujias have taken a special place in the list of snacks & savouries. We can get a variety of Bhujias from Bikaner, a city in the western state of Rajasthan in India. Light yellow coloured snacks, mostly prepared with Gram Flour/Moth Bean Flour & spices has gradually become synonymous to Bikaner gaining the GI(Geographical Indication) patent for the same. But the name of the city, Bikaner has imposed deep in our minds for its all-time famous Bikaneri Bhujias, epitomizing it as the land of snacks. The omnipresent Bhujia has taken different avatars in due course. And one among the avatar is the Aloo Bhujia.

Once an Indian Poet Ashok Vajpeyi remarked Bikaner, like this - 

    "This is also a city where one half of the population is occupied with making bhujia & the other half with eating it".

   While I was making Sev for Bhel Puri, I thought maybe can give a try with Aloo Bhujia. Aloo Bhujia is nothing but a Sev like savoury snack prepared with Chickpea Flour, boiled & mashed Potatoes with flavourings. Mainly it would have an overwhelming flavour of Chaat Masala, Black Salt and Mint in it. It is such an easy & foolproof recipe. I added boiled & mashed Potatoes along with Besan(Bengal Gram Dhal Flour) & some spices to add flavours to the snack. Deep-fry it on a very flame and as simple as that, there it's - the Aloo Bhujia. Homemade Aloo Bhujia turned out to be a tasty treat with an added advantage that it has no additives, preservatives and above all, it was not salty as the ones we buy from the stores. This spicy & Crispy Aloo Bhujia serves best as a tea time snack. Serve it along with Garma-Garam Chai(Tea) or with a hot Cup of Coffee. Sprinkle Aloo Bhujia as a topping while serving Chaat items like Bhel Puri, Pani Puri, Dahi Puri etc., With the upcoming festive season, this recipe can be an easy addition into your Savoury list.

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 Cuisine - Indian

 Recipe Type - Snacks

 Spice Level - Low

 Difficulty - Medium

 Author - SM

Preparation Time - 15-20 Minutes

Cooking Time - 30 -45 Minutes

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 HOW TO MAKE ALOO BHUJIA

ALOO BHUJIA

INGREDIENTS:

For Aloo Bhujia:

Potato - 1/2 Cup 

Bengal Gram Dhal Flour (Besan) - 2 Cups

Butter - 2 1/2 Tbspn

Turmeric Powder - 1/2 Tspn

Red Chilli Powder - 1 Tspn 

Asafoetida Powder - 1/2 Tspn

Chaat Masala - 1 Tspn

Dry Mint Powder - 1 Tspn 

Baking Soda - a Pinch 

Lemon Juice - 2 Tbspn 

Salt - To Taste

Water - As Required (1/4 Cup + 2 Tbspn)

*Scroll down to see how to make Dry Mint Powder.

For Deep Frying: 

Oil 

For Sprinkling:

Chaat Masala - 1/4 Tspn

Black Salt - 1/4 Tspn(Optional)

Dry Mint Powder - 1/4 Tspn(Optional)

METHOD:

• Clean, wash & Boil the Potatoes until soft & cooked.
• Once cooked, peel the potatoes and mash it well.
• Add it along with the all the other dry ingredients mentioned under ' For Aloo Bhujia' and mix well.
• Melt the butter & pour the hot butter into the above ingredients and mix well.
• Add a little bit of water at a time and knead it into a soft dough.
• Adjust the amount of water according to the starchiness of the Potatoes. You may need approximately 1/4 cup + 2 Tbspn of water.
• Knead it into a stiff, but pliable dough(Once kneaded the dough shouldn't have any cracks in it) & keep it aside.
• Grease the Sev "press" with attachment.
• Roll some dough and fill the cylinder of the Sev Press with the dough and close it.
• Heat oil in a frying pan on medium heat. 
• Oil should be moderately hot while dropping the Sev Strands into it.
• Now hold the Sev press over the frying pan and press the handle.
• Press out thin strands of Aloo Bhujia directly into the oil, making a whole circular motion.
• Stop as you complete one circle. 
• Deep-fry the Aloo Bhujia on a very low flame until the colour changes from all the sides and sizzling stops. 
• It shouldn't turn brown. 
• Remove the Aloo Bhujia with slotted spoons and drain on an absorbent paper.
• Follow suit and deep-fry the remaining Aloo Bhujia.
• Keep aside to cool for 5 to 10 minutes.
• Transfer the Aloo Bhujia into a deep bowl and break them into small pieces.
• Sprinkle dried Mint Powder, Black Salt, Chaat Masala & give a good toss.
• Store in an air-tight container and use as required.

ALOO BHUJIA

 

NOTES:

• Mash the cooked Potatoes well enough that there should be no lumps in it.
• Use water as required. The amount mentioned is how much I used while preparing the dough.
• Deep fry the Aloo Bhujias on a very low flame. Otherwise, it will turn brown.
• Drop the Aloo Bhujia into hot oil in swirls and wait until the sizzling stops before turning up to the other side.
• Fry the Bhujias until they turn into a nice yellow colour. 

HOW TO MAKE DRY MINT POWDER:

    Homemade Mint Powder is flavourful & makes Aloo Bhujia wonderfully aromatic. You can easily make it at home. I usually make dry mint powder fresh for the recipes and have not tried store-bought ones. Fresh homemade Dry Mint Powder retains a lot of flavours in it, which makes the Bhujia flavourful. You would need a handful of Mint Leaves for the purpose. Use more or less to suit your recipe. Can store it in an air-tight jar for later use.

METHOD:

• Remove the Mint Leaves from the Stalk.
• Wash it and allow it to dry on a clean kitchen towel.
• Once dried, dry roast the Mint Leaves on a low flame until it turns crisp & dry.
• Powder it using a coffee grinder or a small blender jar.
• Sieve it & there you go with Dry Mint Powder.
• Can use the residue to sprinkle on top of the Bhujias.

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