Mix Vegetable Pakora

Vegetable Pakora with a few more spices to pep up the flavor is comforting food on a pleasant winter including evening masala chai.

Ingredients

• Carrots                  1 (large, peel and cut into thick julienne)
• French Beans         8 (string and cut into 1 1/2" pieces)
• Potato                    1 (large, peel and cut into thick julienne)
• Cabbage                1/4 head (cut into thick julienne)
• Gram flour             1 1/2 cups (sengapindi/besan)
• Red chili powder    3/4 tsp
• Ginger garlic paste  1/4 tsp
• Carom seeds          3/4 tsp (ajwain)
• Hot oil                    2 tsp
• Salt                        to taste
• Water                    as required (approx 1/2 cup to 3/4 cup water)
• Oil                         for deep frying

Method

In a bowl, add the Besan (Gram) flour with salt, chili powder, ginger garlic paste, carom seeds and hot oil. Add the thick julienne mixed vegetables to this mixture and mix. Add little water and mix well that it coats the vegetables. Do not add too much water.

Heat enough oil for deep frying in a heavy bottomed vessel. Do the sizzle test. (Drop a little chick pea batter into the hot oil, if it sizzles and comes to the surface of the vessel, then the oil is ready for deep frying).

Carefully drop the flour julienne vegetables into the hot oil. Do not overcrowd the vessel.

Reduce heat to medium and deep fry till they turn golden brown.

Once they turn golden brown, remove on to absorbent paper. Serve as evening snack over a hot cup of masala chai.

Tips

• Adjust the quantity of chickpea flour according to the vegetables.
• Add few tbsps water at a time while making the batter. It should be like a paste that coats the vegetables and not like a runny mixture.
• You can add a pinch of roasted cumin powder.
• Use curry leaves if you do not have kasoori methi. If you do not have both curry leaves and kasoori methi, omit them and follow rest of the recipe.