Allergens in Bhee ji Bhaji: none of the ten listed below.
Ingredients
Quantities for 4.
- 500g, peeled and cut into 5mm rounds Lotus Stembhee. Scrub the hollows out under running water
- 1 large, finely chopped Onion
- 2 medium, finely chopped Tomato
- 8 cloves, crushed Garlic
- 2cm piece, julienned Ginger
- 2, chopped Green Chilli
- 4 tbsp Neutral Oil
- 1/2 tsp Ajwain
- 1 tsp Cumin Seeds
- 1/4 tsp Asafoetidause compounded-free hing to keep this gluten-freeoptional
- 1/2 tsp Turmeric
- 1 tsp Chilli Powder
- 2 tsp Coriander Powder
- 1 tsp Amchurthe sourness bhee needs
- 3 tbsp, chopped Coriander Leavesoptional
- to taste Salt
- 1 cup Water
Cookware
stovetop, pressure cooker
Checked against the ingredient list for ten allergens: milk, egg, fish, crustaceans, tree nuts, peanuts, sesame, mustard, soy and gluten. Brands vary, so read the label on anything new to you.
Before you start
- Peel the lotus stem and slice it, then wash the rounds twice. The hollow channels hold silt that no amount of cooking will remove.
- Slice evenly at 5mm. Thicker rounds stay woody in the middle while the thin ones fall apart.
- Have everything chopped before you start; once the bhee is parboiled the dish moves quickly.
Method
- Pressure cook the lotus stem rounds with the water and 1/2 tsp salt for 8 minutes, about 2 whistles, then drain and reserve 1/4 cup of the cooking water.Bhee is stubborn. Test a round. It should give under a fork but still hold its shape, never mash.
- Heat the oil in a heavy pan and crackle the ajwain and cumin for 30 seconds.
- Add the asafoetida, then the crushed garlic, and fry 45 seconds until it turns pale gold.
- Add the onion, ginger and green chilli, and fry 7 minutes until the onion is golden at the edges.
- Add the tomato, turmeric, chilli powder and coriander powder, and cook 6 minutes until the tomato collapses and the oil separates.
- Tip in the drained lotus stem and toss to coat every round in masala.
- Add the reserved cooking water, cover, and cook 8 minutes over low heat.
- Uncover, raise the heat and fry 6-8 minutes without stirring much, until the rounds catch and brown in patches.The browned edges are the whole point of a bhaji. Stir every 2 minutes at most, or nothing will colour.
- Sprinkle over the amchur and salt, toss once, and take off the heat.Amchur goes in at the end. Cooked long it turns flat and slightly bitter.
- Finish with coriander leaves and serve with phulka.
Storage
Keeps 3 days refrigerated. Reheat dry in a hot pan rather than a microwave so the edges crisp again.
Nutrition Good estimate
One serving of Bhee ji Bhaji (262 g) is about 268 calories, or 102 calories per 100 g.
Low protein: 5 g a serving, 8% of the calories
| Per serving262 g | Per 100 g | |
|---|---|---|
| Calories | 268 kcal | 102 kcal |
| Protein | 5.4 g | 2 g |
| Carbohydrate | 33.1 g | 13 g |
| of which sugars | 4.4 g | 2 g |
| Fibre | 9.0 g | 3 g |
| Fat | 14.6 g | 6 g |
| of which saturated | 1.6 g | 1 g |
| of which unsaturated | 12.2 g | 5 g |
Ingredients given to taste count as zero, so the real figures run a little higher. Nearest database match used for amchur, asafoetida. Estimated from raw ingredients using USDA FoodData Central.
More like this: Healthy Indian recipes · Vegan Indian recipes · Vegetarian Indian recipes · Gluten-free Indian recipes · Dairy-free Indian recipes · Sindhi recipes
Times, yields, allergens and nutrition are guidance. Use your own judgement on doneness and on storing. More in About.