How to pakao pakodas

There cant be a better time to talk about deepfried treats than the monsoon In India however we have enough versions of pakodas to have a new chaitime treat every day for at least a year Author Sangeeta Khannas book Pakodas The snack for all seasons itself has 190 of them and an additional 13 pakoda curries and 37 chutneysThree years ago when Khanna was writing a column for a newspaper she observed that the new generation thinks that pakodas are junk food The healthyfad machinery went completely against the humble treat The irony of it she says is that they dont even know what the real thing is Even the traditional names of pakodas are forgottenDuring childhood pakodas for breakfast were a normal sight at Khannas home Atte ke gulgule was an alltime favourite So in her column she included several variants and even revived their original names such as bafouri fulouri rikwachh among others Laced with nostalgia that story went viral and within a week Khanna received a call from Westland Publications to check if she could write a book on the same topicInterestingly the book isnt just a collection of recipes but has detailed instructions on making the perfect pakodas From the size of the kadhai to the amount of heat at which it must be cooked and most importantly how to ensure it soaks less oil Khanna has listed everything one must know before heading into the kitchen It took her three years to write the book in between travelling for work and leisure to remote places in the countryIt allowed me to witness diverse cultures I kept talking to people chatting with street vendors and kept sourcing information from elders to fuel my content says Khanna For instance the machha tareko a Nepalese small fish pakoda was learnt at Lungta a Nepalese cafe in GurgaonKhanna believes the subject is so vast that one book cannot cover all the Indian variants I am sure there are many other lesserknown pakodas The only trouble was to find the lesserknown ingredients to try those unique ones I often brought back ingredients from my travels and my farmer friends have helped me by growing them at their farms Sneh Yadav from Tijara Farm was closer home and was very helpful in sourcing these producesThere are several rare dishes in the book What piqued our interest are the ones made from flowers For instance the sehjan drumstick ke phoolon ki pakodi parijat nyctanthes arbortritis ke phoolon ki pakodi kumhro pumpkin phooler bhaja nenua sponge gourd ke phool ki pakodi and kachnar bauhinia ke phoolon ki pakodiWhile it is hard for her to list her favourites Khanna tells us over a call from her home in Dehradun that she loves karela na khalwa recipe below for being the surprise it packs with sweet sour bitter and crisp cashew pakodas for its chilli kick and the magical flavour of kadipatta and bijodia seedlentil cake for being nutritionpackedSangeeta Khanna cookbook author Karela na KhalwaIngredientsMakes 8 ndash 10 khalwas6 ndash 8 small bitter gourd1 tsp salt1 tsp coriander powder1 tsp cumin powder1 tsp red chilli powder1 tbsp sugar or jaggery pounded2 tbsp lime juice1frasl2 cup besan250 ml peanut oilMethodRemove the top and the tail of the bitter gourd and halve them longitudinally Cut into thin slices apply salt all over and keep aside for 15 minutesMix the besan with the other dry ingredients and sprinkle over the bitter gourd slices and mix thoroughly Now add the lime juice and mix againHeat the oil to medium and drop a handful of bitter gourd slices into the oil Keep turning the khalwas gently to cook evenly until they become crisp and goldenbrown on the surface Remove from oil with the help of a slotted spoon and place them on a plate lined with a kitchen towelServe hot with tamatar ki khattimeethi chutneyMachha TarekoIngredients2 ndash 3 servings250 gm small pona fish4 tbsp rice flour preferably of the coarse variety2 tbsp allpurpose flour1frasl2 tsp garlic powder or 1 tsp minced garlic1 tsp red chilli powder or to taste3frasl4 tsp salt300 ml mustard oil1 tbsp marmalade or jam of choice Few drops of mustard oilMethodClean the fish thoroughly Wipe with a cloth napkin to remove excess water Mix all the ingredients for frying and toss to coat the pieces evenlyHeat the oil to medium and fry 8 ndash 10 pieces at a time until the edges become crisp and pinkishbrownServe hot on a bed of kachumbarCatch up on all the latest Mumbai news crime news current affairs and also a complete guide on Mumbai from food to things to do and events across the city here Also download the new midday Android and iOS apps to get latest updates