Cabbage Fritters

The four Mondays before Ganesh puja, I serve a special thali. This vegetarian thali  is a compilation of sweet, savory, spicy, fried and sour. The panoply of food is always cooked fresh. It is made with devotion, a firm belief that it will bring happiness and good fortune to those of us who partake in the meal. The fried component is a fritter or 'bhaji' as we call it in Marathi.

Wanting to try something new, I shred some cabbage. It is topped with chickpea flour, rice flour, toasted sesame seeds, fennel and coriander powders, chiles, fresh cilantro and salt. I leave the cabbage to sit for a few hours. Just before I am to fry the fritters, I use my hands to mix the batter. Leaving the batter to sit for a while allows the cabbage to release liquid. You will not need any water to bind the batter. Small balls of batter are fried till golden brown. Tada...you have delicious cabbage fritters!

CABBAGE FRITTERS

Makes 20-25

DF, GF, VN, WF, VG, EF

2 cups shredded Cabbage

1/3 cup Chickpea Flour or Besan

2 tablespoons Rice Flour

1 tablespoon toasted Sesame Seeds

1 teaspoon Fennel Powder

1 teaspoon Coriander Powder

1-2 green Chiles, finely minced

2 tablespoons Cilantro, finely minced

1/2 teaspoon Kosher Salt

Fresh ground Black Pepper

Oil for frying

Place cabbage in a bowl. 

Season with salt and pepper.

Top with chickpea flour, rice flour, sesame seeds, fennel and coriander powders, chiles and cilantro. 

Let the cabbage sit undisturbed for 2-3 hours.

Just before you are ready to fry, use your hands to vigorously mix the cabbage. You should be able to form a tight nugget of cabbage. There should be enough liquid to bind the batter together.  

Heat  an inch of oil in a wok or kadhai over medium high flame.

Test the oil by dropping a small bit of cabbage into hot oil. It should sizzle and rise to the top of the oil immediately. 

Drop small balls of batter into hot oil. The amount you fry depends on the size of the utensil used. 

Fry till the edges are brown and crisp. Flip fritters to brown the other side. 

Drain well. 

Serve with green chutney or ketchup.

Anything fried is always appreciated. The mound is demolished. Including the crumbs. This is bhaji love....

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