These are crisp, spicy fritters, made from chickpea flour. It has started to snow here, giving me all the more reason to make it. Hot, with a cup of tea, and you will be eating more pakodas than sipping tea (Yes, bad for my waistline, as I have made a resolution to follow yoga, like my mom). Well, after this, I will try to keep it off. Maybe, coming to think of it, thanksgiving and Christmas is round the corner, which means so many potlucks and scrumptious desserts. I have decided to push my exercising to January 2011. Shame on me, I am giving up already. Why can’t I be more focused like mom and little sister? OK, focus..pakoda recipe!
What I used: Makes about 20 medium sized fritters
1/2 cup chickpea flour
¼ cup rice flour
1tsp chili powder
1/4tsp hing
Salt to taste
1 medium onion chopped
¼ cup cilantro chopped
2 sticks curry leaves (optional)
1tsp jeera(cumin)
2 cups of oil to deep fry
Use a frying pan; pour in the oil to fry. Turn on the heat to medium. Mix the flours, chili powder, salt, jeera, onion, cilantro and curry leaves. Take 2 tsp of hot oil from the heating pan, and pour it on the dry mixture. Mix it in. Now sprinkle a little water at a time, and blend it into a hard dough consistency. If you like soft pakodas, add more water, If you like them crispy, use very little water.
Scoop a spoonful and leave it down the pan of hot oil, on medium heat. Turn it over to cook evenly to a golden brown. Put it on to a colander or plate of tissue, so it drains out the excess oil.
The fritters remain crunchy for 2 hours. The harder the dough, the crisper will they be, and stay that way longer. Try it with a chutney (mint or cilantro) or regular tomato ketchup. Enjoy!
