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Mumbai's rains demand pakoras; Try these 7 different types of deep-fried goodness at home
What better way to enjoy the cold and rainy weather in Mumbai other than with a plate of piping hot bhajiyas. Here's some inspiration for your evening snacks
As the monsoon clouds roll over the city, and the rhythmic pitter-patter of rain fills the air, there’s only one irresistible craving — a hot plate of crispy pakoras. Whether it’s kanda bhajiyas or vada pav, tuna fry or chicken pakoras, there’s something about the combination of deep-fried goodness and gloomy weather that feels just right. Paired with a steaming cup of masala chai, pakoras are the ultimate comfort food for this season.
And if you want to get the best crunch to your pakoras, Chef Pankaj Bhadouria shares a few tips:
- In the batter that’s typically made with besan or chickpea flour, add in ½ cup of rice flour to make the pakoras extra crispy.
- If you are making pakoras with any vegetables, like onions, potatoes, leafy vegetables, etc, ensure that you chop them as thin as possible for a evenly cooked and crispy snack.
- When making your batter for the pakoras, mix in a pinch of baking soda to aerate the batter.
- When frying the pakoras, use neutral oil and ensure the temperature is medium hot. If the oil is smoking hot, the pakoras will burn and won’t cook through. If the oil is cold, they will absorb excess oil.
- Add a pinch of salt to the oil and this will also help the pakoras not absorb a lot of oil.
Here are some common and not-so-common ideas for your evening pakora time:
Vada pav
Iconic to Maharashtra, these balls of potato goodness are served with pav, mint chutney and fried chillies. To mashed potatoes, add turmeric power, mustard seeds, chopped chillies, garlic and ginger. Form small balls and dip them into a batter made of chickpeas, fry and serve hot.
Chicken pakora
Thin out a chicken breast by beating it with a rolling pin. To the bite-sized pieces, add spices of your choice, lemon juice or vinegar, and salt. Dip the chicken into a besan batter that also includes rice flour, garam masala, chilli powder and haldi power. To get a crispy pakora, double fry the chicken pieces. Serve with mayo and ketchup.
Tuna pakora
Open a can of tuna and break up the pieces of fish with a fork. Add chopped red onions, cilantro, green chillies, ginger and garlic paste, garam masala and cumin powder. Mix all these ingredients and form bite-sized balls. Shallow fry them and squeeze some lemon juice on these pipping hot pakoras.
Bhaji pav
Piping hot potato bhajiyas piled high on a plate, who can say no to that? To make this street food at home, thinly slice potatoes on a mandoline. Mix them into a batter that has turmeric powder, Red chilli powder and coriander powder. Serve it with a meethi chutney and pav.
Baby corn pakora
Perfect for hosting guests during these rainy months, these baby corn pakoras are a showstopper. Wash and dry the miniature corn. Toss it in some dry rice flour that has some salt and pepper mixed into it. With the rice flour, create a slurry by adding some water and give it a good mix. Dip the corn into this batter and fry. Serve with some sweet and sour chilli sauce.
Kanda bhajji
Crispy on the outside and pillowy soft on the inside, kanda baji are the perfect accompaniments to your evening chai. Finely chopped onions are dipped into a batter made with besan flour and spiced turmeric powder, Red chilli powder, coriander powder and ajwain. Create small balls of the onion mixture and drop them into the hot oil. Serve with green mint chutney.
Broccoli pakora
Take a medium-sized broccoli head and wash it thoroughly with water. Cut the florets into bite-sized chunks. Give it a toss in rice flour. Create a batter by mixing maida, salt, pepper, paprika, garlic and onion powder. Drizzle in some cold water and dip the florets in this batter. Deep fry till golden brown and serve with ketchup.
