Wednesday, July 21, 2010

Monsoon munches - Mundiri Vengaya Pakoda - Cashew Onion Fritters

MONSOON MUNCHES

MUNDIRI VENGAYA PAKODA
My mother - in - law was an expert in preparing delicious Pakodas. She used to prepare them by the time my father - in - law and his friends settled down in their garden chairs after their evening walk in the golf course. I ran up and down serving them the hot delicious snacks as and when my mother - in - law drained them out on the serving plates.
Hot coffee and crunchy yummy pakodas are an ideal combination to while away time on a lazy rainy day.



INGREDIENTS

Besan ( Bengal gram flour) - 200 gms
Rice flour - 2 heaped tbsps
Onion - 1 big ( Finely minced)
Cashew nuts - 1/4 cup
Green chillies - 2 ( finely minced) or 4 if you need it more spicy.
Finely chopped curry leaves- 2 tbsps
Chilly poweder - 1/2 tsp
Salt - 1/4 tsp
Cumin seeds - 1 tsp
Oil - for frying
METHOD

1. Mix finely chopped onion, chopped green chillies, chopped curry leaves, salt, chilly powder, cashew nuts and cumin seeds in a bowl.
2. Mix in the besan and rice flour to the mixture and knead lightly until the flours become moist with the juice of onion and salt.
3. Heat oil in a kadai and decrease flame.
4. Take out 3 tbsps of hot oil from the kadai and pour over the flour mixture and mix thoroughly.
5. Mix few drops of water little by little until the flour binds all the ingredients loosely together. 6. Increase the flame.
7. Pinch a marble size of dough and drop it in hot oil without shaping it. Pinch and drop some more pakodas in hot oil and cook them in batches.
8. Flip the fritters using a perforated ladle, and cook till all the pakodas become golden brown in colour.
9. Remove the pakodas and drain them on a paper towel.

Serve the crisp hot and spicy Mundiri Vengaya Pakodas with coconut chutney or tomato sauce.