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Tuesday 19 April 2016

Mixed Vegetables Fritters (Pakoras)

Nothing can be more blissful on a rainy day than to be curled up in your bed, reading a book while sipping a steaming hot cup of tea and a crunchy snack to munch on.
Ideally a bowl of peanuts or chips would suffice for me but today I decided to be a bit naughty!!
Normally I resist anything deep fried but today all my resolutions went out of the window and I decided to make mixed vegetable fritters/pakoras to have with my tea. I know even if I breathe air, it all goes and settles down on my hips but what the hell, once in a while it is okay to throw caution to the winds, put down your guard and indulge in the things you enjoy!! 
These pakoras are an all time favorite snack in India - extremely simple to make and truly delicious.They are also popularly known as bhajiyas. There are endless variations of making these pakoras. This recipe calls for potatoes, onions and spinach but you can also make them with eggplant slices, cauliflower florets or jalapenos. My favorite is green chillies stuffed with potatoes - really makes the smoke come out of your ears but oh!! it is so worth it.
You can easily find the chick pea flour, also called 'besan' or 'gram flour' in any Indian or South Asian grocery store.  .
Serves 4-6
Ingredients
  • 1 cup potato, peeled and cut into small pieces
  • 1 cup packed spinach, roughly chopped into small pieces
  • 1 cup onion, finely chopped 
  • 1 cup chickpea flour/ besan
  • 1 tsp cumin seeds
  • 2 tbsp chopped fresh coriander leaves
  • 1/2 tsp salt 
  • water as required to make a slightly thick batter (i used about about 1/4 cup)
  • oil for frying

Heat oil in a medium sized saucepan till hot. (You can also insert a deep fry thermometer till it reads 300.
In a bowl combine chickpea flour, cumin seeds, salt and 1/4 cup water and stir for 3-4 minutes till you form a smooth batter.
Stir in the potatoes, onions and spinach leaves.
Working in small batches, drop about 2 tsp- size amount mixture into the hot oil, turning as needed until golden and crisp, about 5-6 minutes.
Repeat this process till all the batter is used up.
Using a slotted spoon, transfer the pakoras to paper towels to drain.
Serve hot with tomato sauce or coriander chutney and don't forget your cup of tea!! 

1 comment:

  1. Fritters are always divine...irrespective of the frying pan condition that we are in..still a super hit!!!

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