Goli Baje (Maida Pakoda)

Goli baje (Mangalore Bajji) is very famous in Dakshina Kannada (Sourth Canara) side. When the Heavy Mansoon Rains pouring continuously outside, the sky covered with black clouds, we used to watech the rains, eating these Hot Goli bajes. Goli baje is nothing but a fried item which is prepared with Maida (all purpose flour), sour curd, green chilly, salt and little sugar.

Goli Baje is the round shape (goli) baje is pakodas. Maida is mixed with sour curd, requiring salt, a tablespoon of sugar. Keep this batter for at least half an hour and then mix it again. Add a pinch of cooking soda (bicarbonate soda) just before you fry pakodas. Adding soda along with curd and other ingredients will surely absorb oil. It is definitely a tasty dish when it is eaten piping hot.

Maida is a finely milled and refined and bleached wheat flour. We use Maida to prepare bread, cake, cookies and even it has sneaked into our kitchen, with loads and loads of recipes are prepared using maida.

Here is a recipe of Goli bhajji, we can have them with a cup of tea or coffee and even for parites or it can be served as starter too.

Things Needed:  

Maida (Plain flour) : 2 Cups
Curd: 1/2 cup
Green chilly : 2
Ingh : a pinch
Curry leaves : 5 to 6
Cooking Soda : a pinch
Sugar : 1 Tablespoon
Salt : as required
Oil : to fry (1 Cup)

Method :

1. Put maida, sugar and salt in a big bowl.

2. Add curd and mix it nicely (let it be thick). Leave it for 10 minutes.

3. Wash Green chilly and curry leaves and cut it into small.

4. Add green chilly, ingh and curry leaves and mix it well. 

5. Keep oil for frying. Heat it. (on medium flame)

6. Just before frying add a pinch of cooking soda and mix it well.

7. Take a handful of batter and leave it in oil. ( just small balls shape).

8. Fry on both sides til they are golden color and remove from the oil.

9. Put it on a kitchen tissue (kitchen napkin) so that it absorb the extra oil.

10 Repeat the same with the rest of the batter.

Serve Hot Goli bajji with ketch up or any kind of chutney you prepared.        

Note 

Do not leave the batter more than 30 minutes. Do not mix cooking soda while you are adding curd. Let the batter be thick. When you add soda it becomes soft and little loose. If the batter is very watery add little more maida flour or besan. But the taste differ. Or it absorbs more oil while frying. You can also add cut onions to the batter. Udupi Goli bajji (original recipe) has no onions. You can also add cut coconut pieces in the batter. It gives a better taste. (optional). You can also add grated carrots but the taste differs. 

Serves : 3 to 4 
Time : 30 minutes.