Mom's Recipies

Mix Vegetable Pakoras with a cup of garam garam chai is very comforting food on rainy day or in a pleasant winter evening.  It also makes a great party  food. Several healthy vegetables incorporated with the mixture of gram flour ,carom seeds and few spices  pep up the flavor of irresistible  vegetable pakoras.

Ingredients:-

Chickpea flour  /Besan -1  1/2cup
Rice flour - 3tbsps
Potatoes - 2  (medium sized) thinly sliced
Onions - 2 ( medium sized) sliced
Carrots-  1 (sliced)
Brinjals /Eggplants - 2 (sliced)
Green chillies -3 (sliced)
Spinach Leaves-  1/2 cup (chopped)
Coriander  Leaves - finely chopped
Paneer - 1/4 cup (optional) sliced
Coriander powder  -1 tbsp
Fennel seeds  powder - ½ tbsp
Carom seeds (Ajwain) - 1 tsp
Kasoori Methi /Dry fenugreek Leaves- 1 tsp
Hing - a pinch
Baking Soda  - 1/2 tsp
Turmeric powder - 1/2 tsp
Red chilli powder - 1  1/2 tsp
Salt to taste
Oil for deep-frying
Water for batter ( 1/2 -3/4 cup)



Method:-
1) First wash , and slice all the vegetables.


2) Grind the fennel seeds in a mixer.
3) Sift Chick pea  flour /Besan ,rice flour in a bowl.
4) Add coriander seeds powder,fennel seeds powder,turmeric powder, red chilli powder,Hing,salt ,ajwain (carom seeds) ,kasoori methi ,1 tsp of oil  and mix well.


5) Then add  sliced vegetables ,chopped coriander and spinach leaves and mix well. 


6) Gradually add water and mix with your hands.
7) Make lump free mixture. The batter should not be watery it should  form a smooth  paste.
8) Add the baking soda and mix well.


9) Heat at least one inch of oil in a frying pan over medium high heat.
10) Deep fry pakoras in oil.Fry the pakoras in small batches, three to four minutes per batch. Fry the pakoras, turning occasionally, until both sides are golden brown.




11) When they are gloden brown, take them out with a laddle on an absorbent paper  or tissue paper to absorb excess oil.


Serve  Tasty vegetable Pakoras with Tomato sauce or mint chutney or tamarind chutney.



Tips :-

Rice flour adds crispiness to pakoras.
If the oil is too hot the pakoras will not be crisp; if the oil is not hot enough, the pakoras will be oily.

Variations

You can use almost any vegetable when making these pakoras, such as cauliflower, beans,cabbage, bell pepper, plantain and different kinds of chillies also.