Pakora Recipes

Steps:

• Sift the chickpea flour into a medium bowl. Mix in the coriander, salt, turmeric, chili powder, garam masala and garlic.
• Make a well in the center of the flower. Gradually pour the water into the well and mix to form a thick, smooth batter.
• Over medium high heat in a large, heavy saucepan, heat the oil to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C).
• Coat the cauliflower and onions in the batter and fry them in small batches until golden brown, about 4 to 5 minutes. Drain on paper towels before serving.

Steps:

• For the green chutney: Combine the chilies, cilantro, garlic, ginger, mint, lime juice, sugar, cumin, 2 tablespoons water and 3/4 teaspoon salt in a food processor or blender and blend until smooth. Season to taste with additional salt if needed. Transfer to a serving bowl and set aside. Makes: 3/4 cup.
• For the batter: Combine the chickpea flour, cilantro, ajwain, asafoetida, chili flakes, baking soda, if using, and a heaping tablespoon of salt. Gradually add enough water, while mixing, to form a smooth batter that has the consistency of thin pancake batter, about 2 cups water; it should be thick enough to coat the back of a spoon.
• For the vegetables and frying: Fill a large Dutch oven halfway with oil, attach a deep-fry thermometer and heat over medium-high heat to 340 degrees F. (It is important that the oil be medium hot, if too hot then the pakoras will brown on the outside but the vegetables will be raw on the inside.)
• Toss together the kale and yellow onion in a bowl. Then put the cauliflower/broccoli, red onion and potato into separate bowls. Once the oil is at temperature, add enough of the batter to the bowl of onions to coat. Then drop spoonfuls of the mixture into the hot oil (being careful not to overcrowd) and fry, turning occasionally, until golden brown, 5 to 7 minutes. Use a slotted spoon to remove to a cooling rack set over a baking sheet. Repeat with the remaining batter and vegetables: 5 to 7 minutes for the cauliflower/broccoli florets, 6 to 10 minutes for the potatoes and 5 to 7 minutes for the kale.
• Sprinkle the pakoras with sea salt and serve hot with the green chutney for dipping.

Steps:

• Combine flour and baking soda.
• Add cold water slowly.
• Stir until moistened.
• Add rest of ingredients but don't over-mix.
• Drop by tablespoonfuls into hot oil.
• Fry until both sides are golden brown.
• Caution: Don't put too much dough in at once, or it will turn out gooey in the middle.

Steps:

• Make pakoras:.
• Mix pakora ingredients (besan, cumin seeds, onions, green chilli, ginger, turmeric, garam masala, red chilli powder, fennel seed, and salt) in a bowl until smooth. Add enough water to make a very thick batter.
• Fry mixture by tablespoonfuls in hot oil until golden and crispy, then drain on paper toweling. Keep warm in low oven.
• Prepare the kadai sauce:.
• Blend yogurt, 4 cups water, pinch of turmeric powder, salt, pinch of red chilli powder, and besan. It should look like a buttermilk lassi mixture with besan in it.
• Keep it aside for half an hour before starting to make kadi.
• For the Remainder of the Kadai:
• Pour mustard oil in a big pan (or wok) and heat it until it gets hot. Add cumin seeds mustard seeds, fenugreek seeds, coriander seeds, cloves and let them pop.
• Add curry leaves and dry red chilli to the frying mixture.
• Add onions and fry until golden brown.
• Add the garlic, and ginger to it and fry for 3 minutes, watching that it should not stick to the bottom of the pan.
• Add chopped tomatoes and fry for 3-4 minutes.
• Add tamarind paste to the pan and let it come to the boil for 4-5 minutes.
• Add turmeric powder , garam masala, red chilli powder, salt and fry until oil starts floating on the top and it gives out dark reddish brownish color.
• Add the kadi sauce mixture.
• Gently stir the curry, as it will start sticking to the bottom. Keep it on medium heat first, and let it come to a boil. Keep watching it and stirring. Simmer for 3-5 minutes, then lower the heat and let it cook on low flame for 20 minutes, stirring occasionally.
• Stir for another 5 minutes and check if its thick enough and looks dark yellow. Again stir it for 5 minutes and sprinkle dry fenugreek leaves on it and let it boil for another 2 minutes and than add the pakoras in the kadi.
• Boil more for 3 minutes and don't stir too much as the pakora can break apart.
• For garnishing, sprinkle cilantro and serve hot with rice.

Steps:

• Heat oven to 120C/100C fan/ gas 1/2. Make a paste by blitzing the chilli, ginger and tomato together, then set aside.
• Mix the gram flour with the spices. Add all the prepared vegetables and toss in the mix. Slowly add 150ml water until the batter coats the vegetables - they should be well coated, but not swimming in it.
• Add the tomato mixture and get your hands in there, mixing well until everything is incorporated. Add a little lemon juice and seasoning.
• Heat the oil to 180C. Take a handful of the mix and squeeze it into a loose little ball, to ensure the vegetables stick to each other when lowered in the oil. Use a spoon to carefully drop the ball into the oil.
• Fry for about 4 mins until golden and crispy, then taste to test for seasoning and consistency. You may also need to add a little water or gram our to the mixture at this point if your tester ball didn't hold together. Repeat, frying the remaining mixture in batches.
• Drain on kitchen paper and keep warm in the oven as you go. Serve immediately with chutney.