Cabbage Fritters or Pakoras

AKA Cabbage Pakodi /Pakoda

Got introduced to these fritters during my MCA days when our neighbour made these and passed it to us. I was actually stunned to see the ingredient inside these pakoras was cabbage..Because those days we are only used to onion pakoras..Wanted to include this snack in my kitchen menu too..Since it is deep fried I haven't made it once or twice say in these 12-13years..

The other day specially made these to blog on my space..Honestly is this one unhinged snack - guilty of course..You are consuming the nature's most nutritious vegetable in not so healthy form..but once in a while you got to have a treat!!! so enjoy sparingly with portion control!!!

Ingredients:Cabbage - 2 Cups
Channa Dhal Pwdr- 1 Cup
Green Chillies - 2 (chopped)
Baking Soda - A pinch
Red chilly powder - 1/2 tsp
Turmeric Pwdr - A pinch
Chat masala Pdwr - 1/2 tsp ( for extra flavour)

A pinch of Amchur pwdr

Curry leaves - 8-10

Coriander leaves chopped - a few

Salt - to Taste

Enough Water

Oil for deep frying


Procedure:
1. Chop cabbage as shown in the pic and place it in a mixing bowl
2. Add the rest of the ingredients with water to make the batter thick enough to gather everything together. Adding excess water will make the Pakoras very oily.
3. Now drop small amounts of the mixed batter into the oil for deep frying.
Once the pakoras turn dark yellow or orange color strain them from oil onto a plate with issue paper to drain all the excess oil.
Arrange the Pakoras on a serving plate and enjoy with array of chutneys or sauces

Prawn Pakora or Shrimp Fritters

AKA Eraal Pakoda or Royyala Pakodi


With US OPEN and TIFF going around it sure is an interesting week so far. When it comes to weather the tables have turn from hot humid conditions to windy cool cloudy and sometimes rainy too. All the more reason to enjoy some spicy snacks..and this time its prawn pakora. We desi ppl tend to make fitters/pakoras with pretty much any ingredient..be it veggies or chicken, meat or seafood like fish or shrimp.

Growing up I never liked the idea of prawn pakodi. Desi prawns are so filled with flavour that I use to feel they overpowered the original taste of pakodi. But the frozen small shrimp that we get in our local Asian markets are much milder in flavour..perfect to prepare a quick starter or snack. Must add that kids like these too.



Ingredients:
1 pkt frozen shrimp - small size, defreezed
1 medium size Onion cut thinly length wise
Channa flour/besan/Channa maavu/Chenaga pindi- 1 Cup
Green Chillies - 2 ( cut into small pieces)
1/2 tsp Ginger Garlic paste
Garam masala - 1/4 tsp
Curry leaves - a handful
Coriander leaves - A few chopped
Baking Soda - A pinch
Salt - to Taste
Red chilly powder - 1/2 tsp
Chat masala powder - 1/2 tsp ( for extra flavour)
Enough Water

Oil for deep frying


Method
Mix all the ingredients with enough water to make a mixture which is not too thick or too thin. Keep aside

Meanwhile heat oil in a deep wok/kadai/pot.

Drop small amounts of the mixed batter into the oil for deep frying.

Once the pakoras turn dark yellow or orange color remove them from oil onto a plate with issue paper to drain from excess oil.

Serve hot with ketchup or just by itself.

Potato Bonda / Batata Vada

AKA Urullaikizhangu/Bangaladunpa/Aloo Bonda

My my, the past one month was so packed with action. Good it all is coming to an end this week. Though more is coming up from next week at least there is no made rush for it. We had three b'days in the family over the last 30 days, but had to postpone the bash till now. Two days back was dear hubby's b'day and he's the lucky one to get the feast right away.

Growing up Potato bonda was restaurant or street food fair. Somehow elders at home didn't frequent this speciality. I remember granny making this once and that was real tasty and special. Other fond memories are when we travelled in Indian trains. You can't miss these out for a morning or evening snack which is gently accompanied by coconut chutney.

Ingredients :
2-3 cups Oil for deep frying

For batter :
1 cup gram flour
Baking Soda - A pinch
1/2 tsp Red chilly powder
1/4th tsp turmeric powder
1/2 tsp Chat masala powder( optional)
a few sprinkles of Asafoetida/hing/perumgayam/inguva
Salt to taste
Enough Water

For Filling :
2 cups Potato Masala

Method :
Prepare the potato filling in this way.
In a bowl add ingredients for batter and add water little by little mixing with hand to make a smooth batter of medium consistency(little thicker then loose).
Keep aside.
Heat oil in a wok or kadai or deep pan.
Make medium size balls of potato masala.
once the oil is hot, dip each potato ball in the batter to coat evenly and deep fry them till golden yellow.
Remove from oil and place on a tissue paper to take out excess oil.
Serve warm or at room temperature with choice of chutneys..Coconut,Peanut-Coriander,Green chutney etc.

Spicy Chicken Strips / Masala Chicken Pakora

AKA Chicken Pakoda or Pakodi

This is one easy to make food for starters. I use frozen chicken breasts to make these. Never seen or tasted these chicken strips or fitters anywhere. Just that I had this frozen chicken breasts in my freezer and decided to treat husband and kids one evening. So with fingers crossed I whipped up this recipe and it was a hit. Trust me I myself was surprised that this turned out be one tasty snack. Would be great for a perfect starter dish.

For a healthier version you can even bake them in regular oven instead of deeping.

Ingredients :
Two Chicken breasts, cut into thin long strips about a finger length.
Oil for frying.
for the spicy masala covering:
Corn flour/Channa flour - 1/2 cup
Rice flour - 1 tsp
Ginger - Garlic paste - 1 tsp
Chilly powder - 1tsp
Black pepper powder - 1/8 spoon
Tandoori Masala - 1 tsp
Garam Masala - 1/4 tsp
1 tsp Yogurt
A few curry leaves
Salt to taste.

Sauce or ketchup to serve with.

Method :
In a mixing bowl add all the ingredients for covering with enough water to make a paste.
Add Chicken strips with the above marination and let aside for half to one hour.
Now either deep fry or pan fry the chicken pieces in oil till redish brown.
If baking, place foil on a tray and grease with pam or olive oil.
Spread the chicken strips with even gap.
Bake at 325F 10 mins each side or untill done.
Serve with chilly or tomato sauce.

Cauliflower Egg Pakora/Bhaji/Fitters

This is yet another simple easy snack to make and yet so tasty that you don't want to stop with a few. Thanks to the filling nature of cauliflower which will help from packing on the calories. I liked it so much the first time my husband made this for a light evening snack. Since then "poor man", he ends up making this for me whenever I have a urge to snack on this. I had always expressed my love for cauliflower in this blog. So here is another addition to my cauliflower list.

A simple starter, with very minimal ingredients and ease to make. Doesn't require any dipping sauce or condiments. Can be eaten just like that, to enjoy the flavours better.
With a gentle seasoned covering of crisp egg on the outer and mild soft vegie inside, this is indeed a treat for me.

Ingredients :
1 small Cauliflower, separated into 10 - 15 florets
2 Eggs beaten
1 tsp Red chilly powder
Salt to taste.
A pinch of black pepper powder (optional)
Oil for deep frying

Method:
Wash the cauliflower florets and dry them with paper towel.
Prepare the covering mixture, with beaten egg, red chilly, salt and pepper powder
Heat oil in a deep fry pan
Dip the cauliflower florets one by one into the egg mixture to coat evenly and thick and gently slide into the hot oil
Fry on medium heat for 3-4 minutes or till the florets turn brown and the cauliflower is cooked.
Once done remove the florets from the oil and place on paper towel to remove excess oil.
Serve warm with ketchup or just as it is.

Masala Vada/Vadai - Channa Dhal fitters

Its been a severe winter so far in Canada...For the past two months there is no break from extreme cold temperatures and tons of snow...Of all the years I lived here this has been one heavy, cold and absolutely white winter. Life has also been hectic to the core much like the weather for the past few months...though i catch up with the food blog world now and then...I'm hardly finding time to publish posts...But I somehow wanted this month to appear in my blog archive...so pushing myself to post a recipe...

I still have few more pictures in my drafts to go on with my Egg series. But being the first post in new year I decided to post something new.

Well having lived in South India who won't long for a savoury snack like Masala vada. All the more when it is biting chill out there. And being weekend who wants to drive on those snowy roads to Tamil stores to buy them. So hubby and i decided to make them at home for one weekend evening tea.

Though growing up I liked these store bought or home made by my granny, I really tasted the best masala vadai in my life when i came to Chennai newly wed. There was this Nayar Tea kadai (Store) right adjacent to the apartment we lived in...And boy the smell that use to fill the air every morning with freshly made masala vadai was so enticing and hard to resist. In andhra the vadai are small in diameter and more thick and hard unlike those in Tamil nadu where they are flatter and big in diameter. Therefore they are crisp on the outer and soft inside. Taste wise both are good...but different.

I'm giving the Tamil version here...no doubt for the last 10 years I have been transformed into a Tamil girl. But still I'm very much Telugu too. At least I want to keep the best of both.

So lets make our Tamil Masala Vadai here.

Ingredients:
Oil for deep frying
400gms or approx 1.1/2 cups Channa Dhal
1 medium Onion
2 long Green Chillies
10 Curry leaves
5 Garlic pods crashed into small pieces skin on
1/2 tsp Fennel seeds
1/4 tsp baking soda
salt to taste
Add chilly powder if desire more spicy.
chopped coriander leaves ( My addition)

If you want a fusion of Andhra an Tamil nadu then add 1/8 tsp garam masala powder and 1/2 tsp ginger garlic paste. You can omit crashed garlic then

Procedure:
Soak channa dal in enough water for 2 to 3 hours.
Drain the liquid fully and keep 2 tbsp of full dhall aside.
Now grind the remaining strained dal into a thick course paste.
You can add half salt when grinding.
Heat oil in a wok or deep wide kadai/pot
Alternatively add chopped onion, chillies, coriander leaves, curry leaves, crashed garlic, fennel seeds, baking soda and remaining salt and mix nicely.
Make lemon size balls with this channa mixture and on a wax paper or even on wet palm pat them into small patties keeping the centre thick and tapering towards the end with approximately 2 inch diameter.
Once the oil is heated nicely drop these channa patties into it and deep fry them till orangish brown color is achieved and a savoury smell feels the kitchen.
Once done remove from oil and place on tissue paper to remove excess oil.
Repeat till all the mixture is done.
Serve hot with tea and any desired sweet dish like chakra pongal, kesari bath, gulab jamun to contrast the spice.
These don't need any chutney or sauce to go with, cause they are spicy and flavoured by them self to make them a wholesome snack/savoury.

Spicy lentil Doughnuts in Seasoned Yogurt

AKA - Dahi Vada(Hindi)/Perugu Garelu(Telugu)/Thair Vadai(Tamil)

With the food blog event 'Frozen Yogurt' going on for this month which is hosted by Siri's Corner and with all the goodness of the Yogurt for us to enjoy, I can't but post this recipe.

This is popular for Breakfast/Tiffin or Snack in Tamil Nadu and Andhra. In my house whenever I'm able to make it, it becomes a meal. My two kiddos enjoy it. It's made in no time too.


You can make the vada from scratch or use the store bought ones. To make vada at home, soak required amount of Urad dhall(White Lentils) in water for about 1 to 2 hours, grind it into a smooth paste adding very less water..the batter should be very thick not loose. Add chopped onions, chillies, finely chopped ginger, a few curry leaves, black pepper balls and salt to taste to the ground lentil paste mix well and deep fry them in doughnut shapes. You can ignore adding all other ingredients except salt if you desire a lighter version. Usually in dahi vada is plain version.

Method for Thair Vadai or Perugu Garelu
This is say for about 6-8 vadas :
Just whip a cup of Yogurt, then add 1 cup water, to make the mixture like thick butter milk.
Add salt to taste.
Microwave vadai for 1 minute to make them soft.
Add to the above Yogurt mixture and soak well. Keep aside.
For seasoning, add a tea spoon of oil, after the oil is hot, add 1/4 spoon of mustard, 1/2 tea spoon urad dhall, 2 red chillies broken into pieces, 6-8 curry leaves, a pinch of Hing,
After browning add to Yogurt & vada mixture.
Garnish with Coriander leaves.
Wow!!!!!!!! It tastes good.

The recipe for Dahi vada has a deviation. As I mentioned the plain version of the vada are soaked in little sweetened Yogurt and the above seasonings are not used.
Instead the sweet tamarind sauce is spread on the Yogurt and Vada mixture and garnished with chat masala, cumin powder and a pinch of red chilly powder and coriander leaves.

I planned to write up on the good qualities of Yogurt but you can find that in this post at Siri's Corner.

Onion Pakora

Onion Pakora or Pakodi(telugu) is one of the favourite snacks of many Indians. Eat it as a starter or a snack it is cherished by all. My GM used to make it for an evening snack especially when it is raining out there. In India we use to love the eveing rain so much, that we long for some spicy(Chat pat) snack with Chai(Indian Tea).
One such item is the Onion Pakora/Onion fitters. The aroma of fried onions along with the channa dhall powder is very tempting. Add to this is aroma of curry leaves and coriander making it ultimate.

Ingredients:
Onions - 2 big
Channa Dhal - 1 Cup
Green Chillies - 2 ( cut into small pieces)
Curry leaves - 2 reems
Coriander leaves - A few chopped
Baking Soda - A pinch
Salt - to Taste
Red chilly powder - 1/2 tsp
Chat masala powdwer - 1/2 tsp ( for extra flavour)
Enough Water
Oil for deep frying

Procedure:

1. Cut the onions length wise and place them in mixing bowl

2. Add the rest of the ingredients with water to make the batter thick enough to slip into the heated oil. Do not add excess water, or else the Pakoras will drink up most of the oil.

3. Now drop small amounts of the mixed batter into the oil for deep frying.

Once the pakoras turn dark yellow or orange color strain them from oil onto a plate with issue paper to drain all the excess oil.

Arrange the Pakoras on a serving plate and choice of sauces ranging from Mint, Tamarind, plum, cherry or even a simple ketchup.