Nylon Bhajia (East African Potato Fritters)

Ingredients

• 3 Potatoes (large, peeled and sliced extra thin (nylon style))
• 0.5 cup Chickpea flour (also known as gram flour or besan)
• 0.5 tsp Turmeric powder (for color and flavor)
• Salt (to taste)
• 2 tbsp Water (as needed to bind the dry ingredients to the potatoes)
• 2 cup Vegetable oil (for deep frying)

Steps

1. 1

   Peel the potatoes and slice them very thinly using a sharp knife or a mandoline to achieve the 'nylon' thickness.

2. 2

   Place the potato slices in a large mixing bowl.

3. 3

   Add the chickpea flour, turmeric powder, and salt directly onto the potato slices in the bowl.

4. 4

   Toss the potatoes with the dry ingredients. Add a very small amount of water (a tablespoon at a time) and mix until the flour forms a light, even coating on each potato slice.

5. 5

   Heat vegetable oil in a deep pan or wok over medium-high heat until it reaches frying temperature.

6. 6

   Carefully drop the coated potato slices into the hot oil one by one to prevent them from sticking together.

7. 7

   Fry the bhajia until they are perfectly golden brown and crispy on both sides.

8. 8

   Remove the bhajia with a slotted spoon and drain on paper towels.

9. 9

   Serve immediately while hot and crispy, ideally with a side of tomato chutney or a cup of chai.

Notes

Variations: You can add chili powder or ground cumin to the dry mix for extra spice. This 'one-bowl' method is faster and creates fewer dishes than the traditional method of dipping slices into a pre-mixed liquid batter.

Nutrition per serving

• appetizer
• snack
• vegetarian
• vegan
• gluten-free
• fried
• street food
• Tanzanian