Tea-time snacks: 5 lip-smacking pakoras to enjoy with your evening tea
Mostly craved at tea-time, pakora is loved across the country and is known by diverse names like vada, bonda, bhajji, bhajiya, bora, ponako and chop.
Pakora, the king of all deep-fried snacks, is for all seasons although its demand goes through the roof in rainy season. Mostly craved at tea-time, it's loved across the India and is known by diverse names like vada, bonda, bhajji, bhajiya, bora, ponako and chop. (Also read: Tea time snack: Enjoy this crispy bread pakora with chai; chef Kunal Kapur's recipe)
From aloo, onion, eggplant, paneer, mirchi, moong dal to gobi pakora, there are endless versions of these fritters but the process is almost same for every variety - they are deep fried after being dipped in a batter of spiced chickpea flour (buckwheat flour or rice flour in some cases) till they turn golden brown. Serve it with green chutney or tamarind sauce, pakoras make you tea time extra-special.
In case you are in mood to have some pakoras this weekend or planning to invite some friends over, we have curated a list of 5 pakoras that you can team up with your tea and treat your taste buds.
1. Spinach Pakora (Palak Pakora)
Ingredients
Spinach - 200 gm
Carrom seeds - a pinch
Lemon juice - 1 tablespoon
Gram Flour - 80 gm
Salt as per taste
Chili powder as per taste
Refined oil- 200 ml
Method
• Clean the leaves.
• Mix gram flour, ajwain and keep it aside.
• Heat the oil. Dip the Spinach leaves in the gram flour-ajwain mixture and cook in slow flame till golden brown colour.
• Serve hot under banana leaves with green chutney.
2. Cauliflower Pakora (Gobhi Pakora)
Ingredients
Cauliflower - 200 gm
Garam masala - 30gm
Carrom seeds - a pinch
Lemon juice - 1 table spoon
Gram flour -80 gm
Salt as per taste
Chili powder - as per taste
Refine oil - 200 ml
Method
• Clean the cauliflower and cut it into small pieces. Half boil it and marinate with chili powder, salt, turmeric powder or lemon juice and carrom seeds. Keep it aside for 10 minutes.
• Make a batter with gram flour, salt, chili powder, carrom seeds.
• Take the marinated cauliflower, dip in the batter and deep fry it.
• Serve hot under banana leaves with garlic chutney, green chutney, sesame & peanuts chutney.
3. Cabbage Pakora (Patta Gobhi Pakora)
Ingredients
Cabbage - 200 gm
Carrom seeds - a pinch
Lemon juice - 1 table spoon
Gram flour- 80 gm
Salt as per taste
Chili powder as per taste
Refine oil - 200 ml
Method
• Clean the cabbage and cut in Julian. Marinate with chili powder, salt, turmeric powder, lemon juice and carrom seeds. Keep aside for 10 minutes
• Take marinated cabbage and deep fry.
• Serve hot under banana leaves with garlic chutney.
4. Bhindi Pakora
Ingredients
Bhindi - 200 gm
Garam masala - 30 gm
Ajwain - a pinch
Lemon juice - 1 table spoon
Besan -80gm
Salt as per taste
Chilly powder as per taste
Refind oil - 200 ml
Method
• Clean the bhindi and cut into small pieces
• Make batter with besan, salt, chilli powder, ajwain
• Take cut bhindi, put in batter and deep fry.
• Serve hot under banana leaves with tomato garlic chutney or green chutney.
5. Onion Bake Pakora (Pyaaz Pakora)
Ingredients
Onion - 200 gm
Ajwain - a pinch
Besan -80gm
Salt as per taste
Chilly powder as per taste
Method
• Clean the onion and cut it in roundels
• Make batter of besan, ajwain, salt and chilly powder
• Take cut onion and marinate. Place on baking tray and bake.
• Serve hot under banana leaves with garlic chutney.
(Recipes by Executive Chef Amit Kocharekar, The Resort Mumbai)
