• 3 - Plantain/ balekai 
• 1 tsp - turmeric powder / haldi
• 1 tbsp - black-pepper powder / red-chili pdr (you may either or both depending on your choice of taste)
• 1½ tbsp - cumin pdr / geera pdr
• 1 tbsp - coriander pdr / dhania pdr 
• ½ tsp - mango pdr / amchur (substitute: tamarind pulp or lemon juice)
• 1½ tbsp - chickpeas or gram flour / besan
• 1 tbsp - rice flour
• 2 tbsp - cooking oil
• ½ tdsp - funnel seeds / saunf 
• 1 - small piece of cinnamon stick
• 2 in - ginger - thin sliced, crushed or grated (no paste) 
• 1 - small bulb of garlic or 5 to 7 cloves  - peeled and crushed
• Salt - to taste

1. Put a vessel or a deep pan, add water and let the water come to boil. Add a spoon of salt and 1/4 tsp of turmeric to the water.
2. Meanwhile, after pealing the skin, cut plantains into cubes or thick circular pieces. 
3. Add the cut plantains into the water. 
4. Let water boil for a minute or two or until the banana is slightly tender (not too soft).
5. Drain the plantain pieces into a colander and keep it aside for few minutes to cool down. 
6. To the plantain, now add salt, black-pepper pdr / red-chili pdr ( I use both, but more of black-pepper pdr),  turmeric pdr, cumin pdr, coriander pdr,  and amchur. Toss everything to coat the banana pieces with spices. Avoid using a spatula as it may break part and crush the plantain pieces.
7. Now add gram flour /besan and rice pdr to the mixture and toss again. Keep aside.
8. In a nonstick pan or a wok, add 2 tbsp oil and put on stove at medium flame.
9. To the hot oil, add funnel seeds, a piece of cinnamon stick and curry leaves. Stir for 20 seconds.
10. Now add crushed ginger and garlic to the oil and let it roast.
11. Add the banana and let it roast. Keep tossing every few minutes until it is crispy on the out side and soft on the inside. Do not cover. If needed add more oil.
12. Serve hot as a side dish with rice or roti.

What do you need:

• Plantain - 1 (Skin peeled and cut into 4mm slices)
• Channa besan (Bengalgram flour) - 2 cups
• Rice flour 3 tsp
• Sujji Rawa 2 tsp
• Chilly powder to taste
• Salt to taste
• Hing (Asafetida) 1/8 tsp
• Baking soda 1/8 tsp (Optional)

How to make Balekhai Bajji:
* Mix all the dry ingredients and add water slowly to form a thick paste.
* Heat oil at medium-high and verify it has heated up by putting a small drop of the mixture that you just made
* Dip the vegetable in the paste and deep fry turning once to fry the other side. Once done, place the bajjias on a paper towel to remove excess oil.
*Bajji is ready! Serve hot with chutney or ketchup.

Balekhai Fry: Wash and peel the skin of the Plantain. ( apply oil to your hands and on a knife to help in washing plantain stains) Cut plantains into 5mm thin slices. Add fry masala and let it marinate for 5 minutes.






Put a flat griddle/tawa on low fire. Apply oil to the tawa. In a plate take Sujji Rawa for dipping. Take a piece of marinated plantain, make sure all the sides are covered with masala, after dipping the plantain pieces in Sujji rawa, place it on the tawa. Repeat the same with rest of plantain peices and arrange them side by side on the tawa. Turn the burner to medium.
Cover the tawa and cook for 8 minutes. Then apply little oil and flip the plantain pieces over to cook the other side. Cook for 5 more minutes or until done.

Serve as appetizer or side dish along with hot rice and rasam.

Variations: Instead of plantain, use Potato slices or Cauliflower. For Cauliflower, after mixing the flowerets with masala, add Sujji rawa and mix and spread on tawa for cooking.

Even fish can be fried in the same way. Here in the picture I prepared Salmon. Since slices are bit thick the burner should be set to medium low. For fish, Ghee can be used instead of oil for better taste and reducing fish smell.