Bok Phool | Blossom Fritters |Hadga /Agasti Flower Bhajis

With each passing day there are some very traditional and rare recipes which are loosing their sheen and I am sad to think that next generation will be clueless about age old recipes. One such hardly heard recipe is 'Bok Phool Bhaja'. 
During a very short period between receding summer and upcoming winter grows a flower typically called as Bok Phool by Bengalis (Scientific name: Sesbania Grandiflora Leguminosae). The literal meaning of it is that 'bok' means crane, which is white in color and 'phool' means flower.

Both by it's color and it's long shape it slightly does resembles like a crane. In the same line even Kumro phool (Pumpkin flower fritters) is also very popular. During my last visit to Kolkata just before my departure I saw a man sitting on a road side selling these in separate plastics worth Rupees 12/-. Carried it with me in flight and enjoyed these fritters sitting in Chennai !

Try this Stuffed Hyacinth Beans Fry /Sheem Bhaja

Ingredients:
8-9 Bok phool/phul 
4 tbsp Gram flour (besan)
4 tbsp Cornflour
2 tsp Poppy seeds
Pinch of turmeric powder
Pinch of Baking soda
Salt to taste
Chilled water  
Refind oil for deep frying

Method:
Remove the filament of flower and dip the flower into saline water for 10 minutes. This is done to disinfect it from any germ inside the petals. The blossoms are very delicate so do handle with care !

In a bowl mix cornflour, gram flour, poppy seeds, soda, turmeric and salt. Add 1/4 chilled water and make homogeneous batter. Heat oil in a deep frying pan and dip blossoms in the gram flour batter.

 Deep fry for couple of minutes on low flame until light golden. Remove with a slotted spoon and place the fried blossoms on tissue paper to soak extra oil. Serve immediately with steamed rice-dal combination. We had this with Kichdi !