These easy to make fritters are absolute favorites and serve as sides. Cottage cheese adds a softness to the crispy fried coconut in the fritter.
Today I am going to share a simple yet easy recipe with you all. These bhajas i.e. fritters I have been eating from childhood.
Whenever there is extra coconut at home and we are in no mood to have anything sweet and bored with usual chutneys, my mother used to prepare these. Throw in grated coconut, spices, onion, and these used to be a great side dish with rice.
I remember we sisters used to munch on these as soon as my mother used to take them out of the pan.
Post marriage I learned that these are my husband's favorite too. He absolutely loves these bhajas. My mother-in-law also adds chenna (fresh cottage cheese) to the mixture.
I prepare these bhajas at least once in two weeks. Chenna is kind of optional here but if added it definitely gives a lovely texture.
Nadia, Chhena Bhaja ( Coconut and Cottage Cheese fritters )
Ingredients
- 1 cup coconut Fresh grated
- 1/2 cup cottage cheese Fresh
- 2 potato Medium size , cooked and smashed
- 2 onion Finely chopped medium size
- 2 tbsps besan (Gram flour)
- 2 Green chili , chopped
- 1/2 tbspn Chopped Ginger
- 1/2 tspns turmeric
- 1/2 tspn chilli powder (Optional)
- to taste salt
Instructions
- In a big mixing bowl, mix all of the above ingredients except oil. Adjust the seasoning. Add water to make a thick,not too dry mixture.
- Make small golf size smooth ball. Gently press it in between the palms to give it a disc-like shape. Repaet with rest of the mixture.
- Heat a frying pan. Add 2 -3 tbsp oil (for shallow frying) . Place 3-4 shaped discs on the pan. Let it cook on medium heat for 5-6 minutes. Flip using a spatula and cook for another 5-6 minutes.
- Fry the shaped bhajas in batches. Serve hot.
Notes
- Add water a little at a time. If there is any water in chenna then you might not have to add any water.
- I prepared 1/2 cup of chenna from 600 ml of milk. You can also use the store brought paneer.
- Fry on medium heat. Cooking on high heat results in undercooked Bhaja/Fritter.
Subhasmita says
@rafeeds Thank you.Coconut is primary here.. paneer and potatoes are kind of optional.
Subhasmita says
@Dolphia the main ingredient here is Coconut, Paneer is just an add on. You can say its kind of Odia speciality(I am not sure if it's done in any other place).
rafeedas says
Love the addition of coconut to these spicy and delicious cutlets...
Dolphia Nandi-Arnstein says
Hey is it like Paneer Patties or an oriya delicacy that I am not aware of? Loving the recipe and the pictures.