Bhaji

Part of speech: noun

Definitions

1. A type of Indian fried snack made from vegetables or lentils, often spiced and served with chutney
2. A savory dish originating from South Asian cuisine that consists of battered and deep-fried vegetables
3. A popular street food item in India, usually made with a variety of vegetables, chickpea flour, and spices before frying

Etymology: Hindi "bhājī" means "fried vegetables," and the word has stayed remarkably close to that sense as it moved into English. In Hindi, the term covers a broad family of dishes, from stir-fried greens to vegetables cooked in spices, and the sense of "fried" sits right in the name. English borrowed the word from Hindi, where it names a cooked vegetable dish rather than a single ingredient, which is why the English usage points to a category of food instead of one kind of vegetable. The English version narrows the picture. Today it usually refers to the fritter-style snack of sliced vegetables, such as onion, potato or spinach, dipped in a chickpea-flour batter and fried until crisp. The Hindi "bhājī" stayed broad, while the English term settled on the battered, deep-fried form most familiar in British and South Asian restaurants.

Synonyms: fritter, vegetable dish, snack