Crispy Cabbage Spinach Pakoda

Crispy Cabbage Spinach Pakoda

 

Ingredients:

Chickpea/ Besan flour – 1 cup

Purple Cabbage – 1/3 small size, thinly sliced

Red Onions – 2 medium size, thinly sliced

Malabar spinach – 10 medium size leaves – finely chopped

Mint leaves – 1 small bunch, finely chopped

Coriander leaves – 1 small bunch, finely chopped

Ginger garlic paste – 1 tsp

Garam masala powder – 3/4 tsp

Red chilli powder – 1/4 tbsp

Ajwain/ Carom seeds – 1/2 tsp

Cooking soda – 1/4 tsp

Salt as per taste

Oil for deep frying

Instructions:

      Take a bowl and add sliced cabbage, sliced onions, chopped malabar spinach, chopped mint leaves, chopped coriander leaves, ginger garlic paste, garam masala powder, red chilli powder, salt, ajwain, and chickpea flour. Mix all these ingredients well.

      In a thick bottomed pan, add some oil and heat it. When the oil is hot enough, pour it into the besan flour. It would start to sizzle. Do not worry. Carefully, mix the oil, veggies and the besan flour until they start to bind with each other. You may sprinkle some water if required for binding. I would advice caution while adding water as the onions would leave out the moisture while mixing. This moisture would itself suffice for binding. Lastly, add cooking soda and mix well. This dough should be sticky and more veggies should be seen unlike the besan flour. That’s it. The dough for making pakoda is ready.

TIP 1: Adding hot oil to the besan flour for binding the veggies and the besan flour would make the pakodas more crispier when deep fried.

TIP 2: Always advice caution while adding water. Adding too much water would make the pakodas less crispier.

TIP 3: Once the pakoda batter is ready deep fry them immediately. Do not store this dough for more than 30 minutes as the pakodas would turn dark brown when deep fried and wouldn’t look appealing.

      In a thick bottomed pan, add sufficient oil for deep frying and heat it. When the oil is hot enough, turn the flame to medium. Take small portions of pakoda dough and press it gently to bind the veggies. Slowly, drop it into the hot oil. You may also use big spoon to pick and drop the dough into the hot oil. When the pakodas are dropped in the hot oil they start to sizzle and float up. Slowly, drop as many pakodas as possible with equal spacing between them for even frying. Flip them on to the other side and fry. Keep flipping constantly so that the pakodas fry evenly on all sides. When the pakodas start to change the color to golden brown dish them out on to a clean dry plate. You may also spread a tissue paper on the plate and then place the fried pakodas on them. This way, any excess oil in the pakodas will be soaked up by the tissue paper. Follow the same process until all the pakodas are fried. Serve them hot along with peanut chutney.

     Quick, super easy and crunchy Cabbage Spinach Pakodas are ready. These pakodas need to be served hot and have to be consumed immediately. Otherwise, their crispness would reduce as they get colder.

     Isn’t it the best way to sneak in veggies in these crispy pakodas especially for the picky eaters? My kids hate cabbage but they enjoy having it when added in Pakodas or Coleslaw. This way i am able to manage serving them their daily dose of nutrition.

     These pakodas can be made quickly when there are guests around or during a rainy day. Munching these crispy pakodas not just brightens up your boring day but it also helps you make new friends. Crispy Pakodas are my kids favorite snack most of the time. Do try it out and surprise your family and friends as always.