Check out for these simple Bengali homemade style pakoras made of Pui Shak or Malabar Spinach. They are also called Basella Alba. These crispy fritters are a great accompaniment to our normal dal-chawal or khichdi. You can also relish them as a tea time snack or as an appetizer with any chutney or kasundi (bottled mustard sauce).
Bengalis generally make a curry of these creepers with pumpkin, eggplants, potato, broad beans, etc. Like other greens, Pui Shak too, has a lot of health benefits in the form of vitamin, calcium, protein, iron and fibre.
It is cooked with bori (dried lentil dumplings) for the veg. version and prawns / fish head for the non-veg. version. However, pakoras made with them also tastes yummy too. So do give it a try and enjoy.
- 2 cups Pui Shaak (Malabar Spinach), washed, drained & finely chopped
- 1/3 cup gram flour (besan)
- 1/4 cup rice flour
- pinch of baking soda
- 1/2 tsp. nigella seeds (kalonji)
- 1 onion, finely chopped
- 1 tsp. ginger-garlic paste
- 2 green chilies, chopped
- salt to taste
- 1/2 tsp. turmeric powder
- 1 tsp. coriander-cumin powder
- oil to shallow fry
In a bowl, add a pinch of salt and turmeric powder to the chopped pui shak and marinate for 5 minutes. Then mash well.
Mix with the remaining ingredients. Sprinkle water accordingly. Cover and keep aside for 5 minutes.
Heat oil in a pan / kadai. Wet your hands and take a little portion of the batter and gently drop in the hot oil.
Fry on a low flame on both sides till golden in colour. Drain on a kitchen towel and serve them hot as a side dish with dal-chawal, as a tea time snack or as an appetizer.
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