These potato slices coated in a spicy crispy chickpea batter are an iconic snack of East African Asians. From those of us who have eaten them from River Road to Ealing Road, this is the most famous and addictive snack everyone agrees on, one plateful is never enough.  For Indians who grew up in Kenya or Tanzania, Maru Bhajiya  is pure nostalgia. It’s one of those things, every Londoner will treat visiting guests to, a trip to Wembley and Maru bhajiya!

Maru Bhajiya are made with thinner-cut potatoes. The batter is made by sprinkling the flour directly onto the potatoes as opposed to the Indian “nylon” bhajiyas, where the batter is made with water and had ajmo/carom seeds and spice, and the potatoes slices are dipped into the batter, then fried and has a puffy coating.  

Here, the freshly grated ginger and salt draw out the natural water from the potatoes, thereby creating the pasty batter when mixed with the chickpea flour. Each potato slice has a patchy coating of this spicy paste, every bite has a crisp bite with salty, spicy, herby, gingery undertones.  

My Mum had taught me to make these using rice flour, then a couple of years ago whilst in London tucking into a plateful of these on Ealing Road and marveling at how crispy they were, a friend of ours told me to add some cornstarch instead, and what a game changer that was! These bhajiya’s stay so crispy even when you drench them in chutney.

These are enjoyed piping hot, drenched in the spicy tomato chutney with a cold drink or some masala chai on a cold evening.

Dare I say they are gluten-free and vegan?

Watch me make these here:

Ingredients:

• 2 large white potatoes; cut into ⅛ inch slices
• ¼ to 1/2  cup chickpea flour/gram flour
• 2 tbsp. cornstarch
• 1 tbsp. grated ginger
• 1 tbsp. crushed/paste green chili
• 1 tsp. turmeric powder
• ¼ cup -1/2 cup chopped cilantro
• 1 ½ teaspoon salt or to taste
• 1/2 tsp. Ajmo/ carom seeds (optional)
• 1 tsp. red chili powder (optional)

Method:

1. Wash and slice the potatoes using a mandolin, or a sharp knife to cut thin slices, no more than 2mm wide.
2. Place the slices in a large wide bowl or plate.
3. Sprinkle on the salt, ginger, green chili paste, turmeric, gram and cornstarch/rice flours and cilantro. Rub everything onto the potatoes until evenly coated.
4. Let sit for 15 minutes the ginger and salt will help the potatoes release some natural water to form a thick pasty batter.
5. Heat oil on medium heat in a frying pan, wok or kadai.
6. Using tongs or your fingers gently add each slice of potatoes to the oil.
7. Fry until the maru bhajiyas for about 1-2 minutes on each side, turning them in between to get a crisp golden color.
   

Serve hot with tomato chutney.

Spicy Tomato, Cucumber and Carrot chutney

2 medium sized fresh tomatoes

4 small Thai hot green chilies

1 cup cilantro /leaves & stems

1 tbsp. lemon juice

½ tsp. salt or to taste

1/2 clove of garlic (optional) 

*My mum added added ½ grated cucumber and ½ grated carrot

Prepare the Chutney:

1. Blend tomatoes with the green chilies, cilantro, grate the cucumber and carrot then add to the blender and pulse a couple of times, add salt and lemon juice. 
2. Remove to a bowl and keep refrigerated.