Cyclone yash (yass) was about to hit Odisha & West Bengal. So I collected many bok phool (Agastha flower) from the plant. So there were plenty of (bok phool) flowers in our kitchen inventory. I love those crispy & tasty pakoda since my childhood. I can remember that I used to buy bok phool at Sealdah Railway station when I used to return from my college. I bought one packet of those flowers for Rs 5.
Even during the season, you can find many people are selling those flowers in every crowded place. Even today those are easily available for Rs 5 or 10 across the Bengal. I do not know whether this bok phool bhaja are equally popular at any other parts in the country too. But almost every Bengali loves this pakoda prepared with bok phool. There will be hardly a few people who would say that they don’t like this. I have noticed that during the season, people purchased a lot of agastha flowers from those roadside shops.
Pakoda prepared with those flowers are super enjoyable to have along with cooked rice. Many people enjoy it with ghee bhaat or dal bhaat. Do you also enjoy those bok phool bhaja?
Bengali people also love various pakoda prepared with other vegetable flowers like pumpkin (kumro) flowers, drumstick flowers, taro (kochu) flower etc. I do not know whether you love this or not but I enjoy those too.
Also read: 5 interesting & delicious Indian flower recipes for you
Bok phool bhaja recipe
- 12-15 bok phool/agastha flowers
- 2 table spoons besan/chick pea flour
- 1 teaspoon turmeric powder/haldi
- Salt to taste
- 2.5 table spoons any veg refined oil for frying
- Make smooth batter by mixing besan, turmeric powder, salt & water, batter won't be too thin or too thick
- Now dip bok phool into the batter
- Heat oil in a cooking pot and pour those batter coated bok phool and fry properly
- Serve it with tea or have it with rice
Remove the string (reproductive organ) inside the flower before coating with batter
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