Sneha's Recipe: Pakoda

In many Guyanese home's, whether there is a religious gathering, birthday party, or just friends gathering together, Pholourie is mostly served as an appetizer. Pholourie is a fritter made from a split pea batter that is seasoned with different spices and hot pepper. Dollops of the thick batter is dropped into hot oil and deep fried until golden brown.

Yellow Split Pea, also known as the Field Pea, Soup Pea, dry pea or Matar Dal.

In India this dal is derived from what is known as Ghugni or white/safed vatana, which is sometimes found in split or mostly whole see pic. Had the safed vatana which I soaked overnight next morning , removed the skin and again washed it in fresh water, then soaked it again for an hour or two.

You just press each pea and they got separated, these are yellow split pea.

Serves Two
Ingredients
1 Cup Soaked Split Yellow Peas
2 Clove Garlic
1 Red Pepper - chopped
1/8 Teaspoon Turmeric powder
¼ Teaspoon Curry powder
¼ Teaspoon Cumin seeds
½ Teaspoon Salt
½ Teaspoon Instant Yeast
¾ Cup All Purpose Flour
¼ Teaspoon Baking powder
Oil as required for deep frying

Method

Was the soaked split peas in fresh water, drain the water from the peas. In a blender, add the peas, garlic and pepper or pepper sauce, and enough water to cover the peas and blend on high till smooth.

Transfer mixture to a mixing bowl. Now add all of the dry spices and mix till they are incorporated. Add yeast and flour. Mix thoroughly.
Cover the batter and let it sit for 1-2 hours. It will double in size, give it a good mix and add the baking powder and with your hands mix it well.
Heat oil in frying pan, I would say enough oil that comes half way up your pan.

Making the pholourie is tricky, you can do this with two spoons, the traditional way of making Pholourie it this method. Grab some batter in your hand

turn your fist upside down so that

the batter falls through your thumb and pointer finger, here is a picture above to help guide you.

When you drop the batter into the oil, it should immediately pop up, if it doesn't then your oil is not hot enough. Turn the Pholourie balls while they are frying so that they can evenly brown.

Continue this process until all your batter is used up.

Here they are ready to be devoured!!

So light and fluffy!!

Serve with Sweet Mango Achar.

These are yum yum!!

Labels: Guyanese, Yellow Split Peas , Matar Dal, Deep Fried, Snacks, Yeasted, Vegan, Gluten free, Eat the World, International Cuisine, Serves Two, Pakoda

Each month Evelyne of CulturEatz invites us to visit a country and explore their foods.Check out all the wonderful Guyanese dishes prepared by fellow Eat the World members and share with #eattheworld. Click here to find out how to join and have fun exploring a country a month in the kitchen with us!

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Onion pakodas, also called onions fritters/ onion bhajiyas are a popular snack that is eaten all over India. It is super easy to make bhajiyas are crispy and crunchy onions mixed in chickpea flour and spices. Onion Pakoda is a famous street food from Mumbai. The key to making your best crispy onion pakoda is in the slicing, make sure that all the slices are uniformly.

When I was working on the way back from work, a small South Indian restaurant use make these bhajiyas in the evening and these were so irresistible that most of day's I used to pick up these for us to have as an evening snack.

In monsoons my mother would make different types of pakodas for us to have with our evening, chai and this is the world’s best combo ever! Even today when it rains heavily, I crave for a hot plate of pakodas, since my hubby doesn't like deep fried items often, I always wish someone would make them and give me to enjoy 😋!!

Serves 2
Ingredients
3 Medium Onions - thinly sliced
½ Teaspoon Salt
1 Cup Besan / Chickpea Flour
1 Tablespoon Rice Flour
1 Tablespoon Chopped Corinader Leaves
1/8 Teaspoon Cumin Seeds
¼ Teaspoon Red Chilly Powder
½ Teaspoon Turmeric Powder
1 Teaspoon Heaped Hot Oil
A Pinch Baking Soda
Oil as required for Deep Frying

Method

Slice onions and transfer them to a mixing bowl. Add ½ teaspoon salt and mix it well, keep this aside.

Heat oil in the deep frying pan/kadai on medium low flame.

Let's make the batter while the oil is heating.
In a bowl add besan/chickpea flour, rice flour, cumin seeds, chilly powder, turmeric powder and salt, mix this well.
Squeeze out the water from the onions , add this squeezed onions along with coriander leaves to the chickpea flour mix and mix it by squashing the onions as it is getting incorporated into the mix. Do not add water. Leave this aside, till the oil is really hot, and the onions will release it's moisture into the batter. To check whether the oil is ready, take a little of onion, leave it into the oil, when added it should immediately float to the surface. The oil is perfectly ready to fry the onion bhajiyas.

Take a teaspoon heaped of the hot oil, add the onion mix and mix it with a spoon ( this oil will make the bhajiyas, crispy and light). When well mixed add a pinch of baking soda and immediately give it good mix with your hands. Take little of the onion mix and leave it in hot oil on medium high flame, when all of the bhajiyas have risen to the surface reduce the flame and fry them on medium low flame till they are brown and crispy. Take one and check if the it cooked. When your are removing them with a slotted spoon then again increase the flame to medium high, this will prevent the bhajiyas from absorbing a lot of oil.

These onion bhajiyas are best enjoyed hot, when they start to get cold they will loose their crispiness!
Serve them immediately with some green chutney or ketchup! If you are like me, you will gobble it up as it is, they are so crispy and irresistible.

Labels: Pakoda, Bhajiyas, Besan, Deep Fried, Street food, Snacks, Sunday Funday, Serves Two, Vegan, Gluten free

For our event called Sunday Funday, wherein we share recipes our families will love to enjoy on a Sunday. Our host for this week's event is
Renu Agrawal Dongre of Cook with Renu

Recipes with Chickpea Flour