Bikaneri Bhujia is a popular Indian snack originating from the city of Bikaner in the state of Rajasthan. It is a crispy and spicy snack made primarily from chickpea flour (besan) and seasoned with a blend of spices. Here’s a detailed recipe to make Bikaneri Bhujia at home:
Ingredients:
- 2 cups chickpea flour (besan)
- 1/4 cup rice flour
- 1/4 cup cornstarch (optional, for extra crispiness)
- 1 teaspoon carom seeds (ajwain)
- 1 teaspoon black pepper powder
- 1 teaspoon red chili powder (adjust to taste)
- 1/2 teaspoon turmeric powder
- 1/2 teaspoon asafoetida (hing)
- Salt to taste
- 2 tablespoons hot oil
- Water, as needed
- Oil for deep frying
Instructions:
- In a large mixing bowl, combine chickpea flour, rice flour, cornstarch (if using), carom seeds, black pepper powder, red chili powder, turmeric powder, asafoetida, and salt.
- Mix well to ensure all the spices are evenly distributed throughout the flour mixture.
- Heat 2 tablespoons of oil until it’s hot. Pour the hot oil over the flour mixture and mix well using a spoon or your fingertips. This helps in making the Bhujia crispy.
- Gradually add water, little by little, and knead the mixture into a stiff dough. Be careful not to add too much water at once. The dough should be firm and not too soft.
- Heat oil in a deep frying pan or kadhai over medium heat for frying the Bhujia.
- Meanwhile, fill a sev maker or chakli maker with the dough. If you don’t have a sev maker, you can use a kitchen press with a fine sieve attachment.
- Once the oil is hot, press the dough through the sev maker directly into the hot oil in a circular motion. Fry the Bhujia in batches, making sure not to overcrowd the pan.
- Fry the Bhujia until they turn golden brown and crispy. Stir occasionally to ensure even frying.
- Once done, remove the fried Bhujia from the oil using a slotted spoon and drain excess oil on paper towels.
- Allow the Bhujia to cool completely before storing them in an airtight container. They will crisp up further as they cool down.
- Serve Bikaneri Bhujia as a snack on its own or with tea or coffee.
Enjoy the crunchy and spicy goodness of homemade Bikaneri Bhujia!
