Deep Fried Chickpea Dough Curry Snacks (Pakoda)
Pakoda is a savoury South Indian fried snack made from gram flour, spices and onions. This simple recipe is for Pakoda as made in Tamil Nadu, India. A different version called "pakora" is famous in the other parts of India. The difference is that for making pakora, the batter/mix can be a bit more liquidy like for making pancakes, and different vegetables like spinach or potatoes may be used.
Total Time
20 minutes
Servings
2
1 cup (240 g) besan or gram flour
½ cup water
2 tsp rice flour (for crunch)
2 tsp green gram flour (optional, for added crunch)
Salt to taste
¼ tsp asafoetida
¼ tsp turmeric
¼ tsp cayenne pepper
8–10 curry leaves
1 tsp cumin powder
1 tsp crushed black peppercorns
1 medium-sized onion, chopped finely
½ cup peanuts, preferably roasted
1 tsp oil
Oil to fry
Combine all the dry ingredients except the salt, peanuts, and onions. Mix well.
Add the onions, peanuts, 1 tsp oil, and salt. Mix well, then keep aside for about 10 minutes. The moisture from the onions will ooze out into the batter.
10 minutes
Adding a little bit of water at a time, make a dough that will form chunks but break into pieces with a little bit of pressure. The consistency should be the same as when making scones. Too much water and the pakoda will not be crunchy.
Heat oil in a heavy-bottomed cooking vessel.
Shape the dough into chunks, and deep-fry them in medium-hot oil until golden-brown and crispy. Too much turmeric might give it a darker color.
Serve hot or room temperature.
- •Store at room temperature for about 3–4 days. Avoid refrigerating to maintain the crunchy texture.
- •The pakoda may be served with ketchup or any style of chutney.
- •A tradition during the monsoon season is to serve piping hot tea after pakodas.