Cauliflower pakoda

Fry corn, Chinese style, to make pakoda. Pakoda is the Indian version of fried dough snacks, and there are countless ways to make it. While the basic ingredients are very similar, the variations are countless. Some pakodas are fried in oil, some in ghee, and some are made with butter. Some are made with flour, some are made with rice flour, some are made with semolina, and some are made with besan (chickpea flour). There are even some that are made with yellow corn, but we’ll stick with the classic version made with corn flour.

The word pakoda is an Indian word meaning “fried”, and that is what this dish is all about. It is a fried Indian snack made from cauliflower or potatoes, and it is usually filled with potatoes and spiced with green chillies. For the version made with cauliflower, the flour is replaced with a batter consisting of mashed cauliflower, spices, and grated fresh coriander. If you have not tried it before, now is the time to try it out.

Cauliflower pakoda is the most traditional snack of Indian cuisine, and is generally made with a yogurt based batter. A very basic recipe consists of grated cauliflower, spices and herbs to taste and then the batter is made and fried in ghee. Once cooled the pakodas are served with a tangy yogurt dip.

Cauliflower pakoda is one of my favorite snacks, which I make anytime I have a craving. Pakoda is a popular evening snack in India, where it is served on a newspaper plate or on disposable plates with chutneys. The first thing that springs to mind when it’s raining is hot tea and hot pakodas. Onions, cashews, cauliflower, and a variety of other ingredients may be used to make pakodas.

Crispy cauliflower pakoda is required. Pakodas may be made at home or purchased from a store in the evening. Pakoda, in my opinion, is not like a bajji (a fried fritter made with gram flour and called bajji in south India), yet it is similar to a bajji in that it is crispy and not mushy. In my home, crispy pakodas are called phugha or bajji, whereas soft pakodas are called phugha or bajji (the fried fitters will be soft and crispy made from onions and vegetables). We combine veggies, gram flour, and spices without adding water to make crispy pakoda. We prepare batter for bajji, then dip the veggies in it and cook them, but not for pakodas. Because of the various spices used, each house’s pakodas or bajjis taste unique.

Ingredients

• 300 to 325 gms cauliflower
• 1/2 cup + 1 tablespoon besan (gram flour)
• 1/2 teaspoon chili powder
• 1/2 teaspoon turmeric powder
• 30 to 35 mL of water
• season with salt to taste

Method

• Cauliflower should be cut into tiny florets.
• In a larger mixing bowl, combine the gram flour, chili powder, turmeric powder, and salt; stir well; then add the cauliflower florets; stir well without adding water, so that it is well combined in its own moisture.
• Add water a little at a time, mixing well after each addition, until the cauliflower is well coated in the gram flour mixture.
• Heat the oil to a medium-high temperature, then add one cauliflower floret and check the temperature.
• Cook the cauliflower in stages in pakoda till it is crispy and cooked through.
• Turn the cauliflower pakodas in between batches of frying to ensure that they are uniformly cooked.
• Serve immediately with any sauce of your choice. I like to serve it with simple rice and whatever dal I have on hand as a side dish.

Notes

• Curry leaves, crushed ginger, saunf crushed (aniseed), and garam masala may be added to the gram flour mixture for added flavor.
• You may increase the amount of gram flour (besan) in the mixture if desired.
• You may add 1 to 2 tablespoons of rice flour to the mixture to give it a crispier texture.

This is one of the most popular recipes on our blog. The cauliflower pakoda is one of the most popular recipes on our blog. It is a traditional Indian dish made of grated cauliflower dipped in chickpea flour and then deep fried in oil. The cauliflower pakoda is a bestseller because the cauliflower is not cooked, making it a perfect choice for low carb dieters and those following a gluten-free diet.. Read more about easy cauliflower pakora and let us know what you think.