Chicken bajia
Maldivian bajia filled with spiced chicken, onion, chilli and ginger, baked or deep-fried.
Bajia are crisp filled pastries loved across the Maldives. This version has a spicy filling of chicken, onion, chilli, ginger and lime.
Ingredients
1 kilo chicken meat
8 green chillies
6 limes
150 grams ginger
1/2 kilo onion
6 capsicums
Salt and curry leaves
1 tablespoon spice mix (masala)
1/2 teaspoon fenugreek
1/2 teaspoon turmeric
Oil
6 cups flour
3 eggs or margarine
Method
Chop everything that needs chopping very finely.
Mix all the other ingredients together, except the flour.
Separately, fry the curry leaves in oil (1/2 cup ghee).
When the onions turn red, add the mixed meat.
Adding 1 spoon of sugar makes the taste even better.
Set the meat mixture aside to cool.
Mix the flour the same way you mix it for other snacks.
Roll it out like roshi and cut it the way you cut it for bajia.
If you are watching your health, you can bake them. Otherwise, deep-fry them.
Tips
Bajia can be made with more than chicken. You can also make them with fish, skipjack tuna, tinned fish or onion.
