Pakodas are a perfect way to celebrate. With some chai and chutney, this meal can become the highlight of any day easily. We bring to you four unconventional ways of making pakodas.
Just a whiff of deep-fried pakodas on a rainy day is enough to shut my mind to everything else around!
But sometimes it does get boring to have the same assortment of vegetable or bread pakodas!
If you too are done with the usual pakodas and like experimenting, try these four healthy yet mouth-watering pakodas or fritters with your evening tea.
Broccoli and Cheddar Pakodas
This is an awesome combination and rarely goes wrong. Boil or steam broccoli and then cut into small pieces. Finely chop 4 onions and add them to the broccoli pieces in a bowl. To this, mix ½ cup of grated cheddar cheese, one chopped green chili, lime zest, 2 tbsp milk, and 2 eggs with salt to taste. Add ½ cup of self-rising flour and stir well. This should form a batter similar to a pancake batter. In a nonstick frying pan, put 1 tbsp of olive oil. Drop the batter in whatever shape you like and cook until golden brown. Serve with lime wedges, mayo and salsa sauce for a satisfying evening snack!
Green Fritters
For those who take extra care of their fitness, these green pakodas are just perfect! Spinach, radish leaves and even mustard leaves can be used for these yummy fritters. Take all the green leaves in a bowl and blanch them in salted hot water. Take them out and squeeze out the extra water. In a bowl, mix ¼ cup of chopped coriander, 1 ½ tsp of grated nutmeg (jaayfal in Hindi), ½ tsp of granulated sugar, salt to taste, some freshly cracked pepper, 3 tbsp of all-purpose flour 2 chopped garlic cloves and 2 eggs. Now blend this mixture in a food processor. Take it out and add ½ cup of crumpled feta cheese. Add 1 tbsp of oil in a pan and once it’s hot, put the fritter mixture in it. Flip them carefully and flatten them in the pan. Cook until they are golden and crisp. Get lost in the fritters that are creamy in the center and crispy on the edges!
Carrot Fritters
Very yummy and prepared quickly, these fritters are so healthy that you can have them once a week! Peel carrots and grate them in a food processor. Put some oil in a pan and add 1 chopped onion to it. Sauté until it turns soft and then add the carrots while cooking for another five minutes. In a bowl, combine 2 eggs and 2 tbsp of flour. Add the cooled carrot mixture to this along with salt, pepper, coriander, lemon juice and goat cheese. Form small patties and fry them until golden brown. Eat them with a chili sauce or green coriander chutney for a heavenly fritter experience.
Spicy Pea Pakodas With Potato Raita
Extremely addictive, try them at your own risk! Take 2 ¾ cups of chickpea flour (besan) and 1 tsp of baking soda. Sift this mix with a pinch of salt in a bowl. Whisk in some water to make a smooth batter. In a frying pan, cook 1 small roughly chopped onion and 4 chopped garlic cloves in oil. Cook for five minutes and add 1 tsp turmeric, 1/ tsp ground cumin, ½ tsp coriander powder and ½ tsp red chili flakes. Let it cool and then grind it in a food processor. In this mixture, add the batter along with half-boiled peas/defrosted peas, 2 tsp chopped mint and 1 finely chopped onion. Let it stand for 15 minutes. Cook them in frying pan for around 3 minutes in round shape or whatever you fancy! For the raita, add diced boiled potatoes, finely chopped coriander, crushed garlic clove and ½ tsp roasted cumin seeds to the yogurt. Enjoy the pakodas with raita and friends!
Would love to hear your teatime or party experience with these amazing little delights! Also, do let me know if you have some more pakoda recipes to add.
