CSA: Zucchini Bahjis
Zippy and terrific
Sometimes I make onion bahjis, and I use two exotic flours, many spices and start 30 minutes in advance so the onions can soak. It’s summer and I am into fast and delicious. The zucchini are growing so fast that Sunday, when I went to pick squash flowers for a client meal, one of the round squashes had become as big as a moderate-sized pumpkin. They need to be picked everyday.
So this is my new zucchini bahji. I have liked it so much during the trial period that I wake up some mornings wishing I could have it for breakfast. Here is a small recipe to serve 2-3 people, although when I took the plateful to Olga and Ivano’s house, Ivano had eaten them all before Olga got home! She couldn’t provide a review other than, “They must have been good.”
Zucchini Bahji
1-2 zucchini grated or julienned finely
2 tablespoons onion, grated or julienned finely
batter:
1 cup (130 g) flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon Indian spice mix; I used pickling masala which I have kept for 5 years and it is still powerful!
Mix those ingredients together and then add:
1/2 cup (125 ml) milk
1 egg
1 tablespoon oil
Using a whisk or a fork, stir all this together to form a thick batter. Add the vegetables and toss them around with a fork so that everything is coated and homogeneous.
Heat 1/2 inch or 1.5 cm of seed oil (peanut, safflower, etc.) in a frying pan. When it is hot, 170 C or 350 F, drop the batter into it by spoonfuls. They will brown and puff very quickly. Use tongs to turn them over and let them brown. Remove to paper towels to drain. Serve them hot. These can be antipasto, side dish or even a vegetarian center of the plate.
I really like them. They are spicy, but not too very spicy, crunchy, but with a soft center. They take about 10 minutes to prep and a few more to cook, depending on how wide your frying pan it. They are so easy, it is something I can just add for the heck of it to a meal I’m making for others. Not Italian, but at least one italiano is enthusiastic…
