Kathiyawadi bhajiya or Gota is a popular Indian snack that originated in the state of Gujarat. It is a deep-fried fritter made with a batter of gram flour (besan) and various spices. Gota is crispy on the outside and soft on the inside, making it a perfect tea-time snack or appetizer. I would also like to share two different chutney recipes that complement bhajiya or gota. These chutneys are slightly spicy, tangy, and taste great with the snack. Do give them a try!
The key to making tasty kathiyawadi bhajiya at home are
- Firstly, I made bhajiya (gota) with potatoes, onions, and coriander leaves. But you can add methi leaves or chopped capsicum to make it crunchier and more flavorful.
- Secondly, the bhajiya (gota) batter should be of medium thickness and pouring consistency. If your batter is too thin, add some gram flour to achieve the perfect consistency.
- Lastly, do not stir immediately after adding bhajiya (gota) or pakoda to the hot oil to prevent them from spreading. Also, fry the pakodas on a medium flame. Avoid frying them on low flame, as they tend to absorb more oil and become soggy.
Related Recipe Collections
Recipe video

Kathiyawadi bhajiya recipe | gota recipe | potato onion pakoda
Ingredients
For kathiyawadi bhajiya (gota)
- 4 cup or 400 grm gram flour - Besan
- 1 +1/4 cup water or as required
- 1.5 cup grated potatoes
- 1.5 cup chopped onion
- 2 cup coriander leaves
- ½ cup chopped green chilli
- 1 tbsp ginger-garlic paste
- 2 tbsp coriander seeds
- 1 tbsp black pepper
- 1 tbsp ajwain - Carom seeds
- Salt to taste
- 3 tbsp hot oil
- 1 tsp hing
- ¼ tsp baking soda
- 1 tbsp lemon juice
- Oil for deep frying
For imli-gud chutney
- ¼ cup imli - tamarind pulp
- ½ cup jaggery
- 5-6 garlic cloves
- 2 green chilli
- 1 inch ginger
- 1 tsp white sesame seeds
- 1 tbsp coriander seeds
- 1 tbsp kashmiri red chilli powder
- Salt to taste
- ½ cup water
For chilli-peanut chutney or yellow chutney
- ½ cup roasted peanuts
- ½ cup chopped green chilli
- Salt to taste
- ¼ tsp turmeric powder
- Pinch of hing
- 1.5 tbsp lemon juice
- 4 tbsp water
- 1 tbsp oil
Serving
- Fried chillies
- Onion slices
Instructions
Making Kathiyawadi Bhajiya (Gota):
- In a mixing bowl, add 4 cups of besan. Gradually add water to make a thick batter (refer to the video).
- Whisk the batter for 2-3 minutes until it becomes light and fluffy.
- Add grated potatoes, chopped onion, coriander leaves, chopped green chili, and ginger-garlic paste to the batter.
- In a mortar and pestle, crush coriander seeds, black pepper, and ajwain into a coarse powder.
- Add the crushed spices, salt, 3 tablespoons of hot oil, and 1 teaspoon of asafoetida to the bhajiya mixture. Mix well.
- Add baking soda and lemon juice to the batter. Mix well.
- The batter should have a medium-thick consistency that is pourable.
- Heat oil in a pan over medium heat for deep frying.
- Once the oil is hot enough, drop small balls of batter into it using your hand or two spoons.
- Fry the bhajiya on medium flame until they turn golden brown. Remove them and place them on a wire rack to drain excess oil.
- Repeat the frying process for the remaining batter.
- Kathiyawadi Bhajiya (Gota) is ready to serve. Serve it with chutney and a cup of hot tea.
Making Imli-Gud Chutney:
- In a blender jar, add imli pulp, jaggery, garlic cloves, green chili, ginger, white sesame seeds, coriander seeds, red chili powder, salt, and water.
- Grind the ingredients into a smooth paste.
- Imli-Gud Chutney is ready to serve.
Making Chilli-Peanut Chutney:
- In a blender jar, add roasted peanuts, chopped green chili, salt, turmeric powder, hing (asafoetida), lemon juice, oil, and water.
- Grind the ingredients into a smooth paste.
- Chilli-Peanut Chutney is ready to serve with Kathiyawadi Bhajiya.
Notes
- Soaking and whisking the besan batter helps to make soft and fluffy bhajiya.
- Crush the masala into a slightly coarse powder.
- The addition of hot oil with asafoetida (hing) into the batter helps enhance the flavor and make the bhajiya soft.
- Lemon juice activates the soda and also helps to create a lacy (jadidar) texture inside the bhajiya.
- Fry the bhajiya on medium flame. Do not fry them on high flame.
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