Ridge Gourd or Hirekai bajji is the easiest bajji to make. Select good quality ridge gourd to make the bajji. If it is too soft bajji will not come good. Tough some people complain that hirekai absorbs more oil; there is always a solution for removing the excess oil from it. As you remove the bajjis from the frying pan, place them on un printed tissue paper over a plate. The excess oil will be re absorbed by the tissue paper. Need not worry much about the issue as the sanck is very light but tasty and after all once in a while we consume this yummy fried dish.
Ridge Gourd/Hirekai Bonda or Bajji is a popular appetizer/snack in Karnataka.
Ridge Gourd Bonda Ingredients:
- Ridge Gourd – 1 small sized
- Besan flour – 3 Tbsp
- Red chilli powder – 1/2 tsp (or as per your taste)
- Salt
- Carom Seeds / Ajwain – 1/4 tsp
- Cumin seeds / Jeera – 1/4 tsp
- Asafoetida or Hing – 1 pinch
- Oil (for frying)
Time to Prepare: 20 mins
How To Make Hirekai Boda:
Wash and peel the Ridge Gourd. Cut them into round shape. Keep them aside.
In a mixing vessel, add Besan flour, Red Chilli powder, Ajwain, Cumin seeds, Asafoetida/Hing and Salt. Add water and mix well to prepare a thick batter like the dosa batter.
Heat the Oil in a frying pan. Dip the round shaped cut Ridge Gourd one by one in the batter and deep fry.
You can have Ridge Gourd Bonda as evening snacks. You can also have it with Rice and Rasam for lunch/dinner.
