Fritters Of Stuffed Ash Gourd / Chal Kumro - Pur Bhaja

Hi friends,
Today I am going to make a very unique deep fried snack made with Ash Gourd. It is stuffed Ash gourd fritters. It is a traditional Bengali recipe and very popular all over Bengal. In Bengal village the fritter is called “Chal Kumror jali”.The snack is very tasty and easy to prepare.

Cooking time – 45 minutes.  Serve – 4
Ingredients -
1.Ash gourd (small) – 1
2.Mustard seeds – 2 tbsp.
3.Poppy seeds – 2 tbsp.
4.Grated coconut – 4 tbsp.
5.Turmeric powder – a pinch.
6.Green chilly -  2
7.Salt to taste.
8.Sugar – a pinch.
9.Oil for deep frying.
For the batter -
1.Rice flour – 1/2 cup.
2.Plain flour (maida) –1/2cup
3.Turmeric powder – a pinch.
4.Chilly powder – a pinch.
5.Baking soda – a pinch.
6.Salt to taste.
Method -

1.Peel off the ash gourd and cut lengthwise into halves. Take one portion and cut into thin slices. Take the slices and put a slit into each one. Do not make slice into two pieces.
2.Boil 2 cups of water in a pan, add 1 tsp.of salt. Add the ash gourd slices and boil for 2 minutes. Remove pan from heat, transfer the ash gourd to a colander.
3.Adding 1/4 cup of water grind mustard seeds,poppy seeds and green chilly to a smooth paste. Transfer it to a bowl. To this add coconut,sugar,salt and turmeric. Mix well. Take one ash gourd slice and fill one tbsp. of mixture into the slit. Keep it in a flat dish. In this way stuff all the slices.
4.In a large bowl add all the ingredients for the batter, mix well. Add water gradually and make a thick batter. Beat the batter well.
5.Heat oil in a frying pan,when hot reduce the heat. Take one stuffed slice, gently dip in the batter and drop into the hot oil. Fry on slow flame until brown on both sides. Fry 2 or 3 slices at a time.
Remove the fried snacks with a slotted spoon and drain excess oil in paper towels. Serve the delicious Ash Gourd Fritters as a starter with steamed Rice.
[You can use Gram Flour instead of Rice Flour and plain Flour]