Vegetable Peel Pakora / Pakoda / Fritters

 

           Here is an unusual snack made out of some discarded vegetable peels. They contain a lot of fibre and nutrients. So prepare these yummy pakoras with a combination of peels. Relish them as an evening tea-time snack or as an appetizer with green chutney or tomato ketchup. They also tastes yummy with hummus or mayo. So check out the step by step pictorial recipe to prepare it.

• 1/3 cup pointed gourd (parwal) peel, finely chopped
• 1/3 cup bottle gourd (Lauki) peel, finely chopped
• 1/3 cup ridge gourd (Turai) peel, finely chopped
• 1/3 cup coriander stems, finely chopped
• 1 onion, chopped
• 2 green chilies, chopped
• 1 tsp. ginger, grated
• 2 tbsp. coriander leaves, chopped
• 1 egg
• 3-4 tbsp. chickpea flour / besan 
• 1-2 tbsp. rice flour
• salt to taste
• 1/2 tsp. turmeric powder
• 1 tsp. red chili powder
• 1 tsp. nigella seeds
• 1/2 tsp. garam masala powder
• 1 tsp. roasted coriander-cumin powder
• 1/2 tsp. amchur
• oil to deep fry

          In a bowl, combine all the above mentioned ingredients (except oil) and knead into a thick batter. Add water as needed and keep aside for 10-15 minutes. 

          Heat oil in a pan. Drop spoonful of the batter, few at a time and in batches into the hot oil.  Fry till golden in colour and crisp on all sides on a medium flame. 

          Drain on a kitchen towel and serve them hot with green chutney or tomato ketchup.

Note - 

1.  For a pure veg. version, you can omit the egg and add cornflour instead.

2.  You can also make use of carrot peels, potato peels, steamed raw banana peels, steamed cauliflower stem, etc. to make these yummy pakoras. 

                       In a bowl, mix all the ingredients (except oil) & knead into a thick batter. 

                       Keep aside for 10-15 minutes. 

                    Heat oil in a pan. Drop spoonful of the batter, few at a time, into the hot oil.  

                                  Fry till golden in colour on all sides on a medium flame. 

                                  Drain on a kitchen towel.

                                  Serve them hot with green chutney or tomato ketchup.

Foxtail Millet Cutlet

 

           Millets have been cropping up as wonder foods on menus across the world and people are  replacing rice / wheat for millet substitutes. Foxtail, a variety of millet is highly recommended for its high nutritional benefits. So introduce your loved ones to some healthy and yummy cutlet / tikkis made of Foxtail Millet for an enjoyable tea-time snack. It is made with basic ingredients easily available in your kitchen and can be dished out in no time. 

          They can be enjoyed hot, with some tomato sauce or green chutney as appetizers too. They also tastes great with hummus and can be wrapped in parathas / chapattis for a lunch box meal. So check out the step by step pictorial recipe to prepare it.

           As this particular millet is packed with essential nutrients like fibre, protein, iron, etc. it is highly recommended in our diet. So make use of it by preparing these cutlets. Paneer can be substituted with potato as per your preference. 

• 1/2 cup foxtail millet, soaked for 2-3 hours
• 100 gms. paneer
• 2 tbsp. gram flour
• 1 onion, chopped
• 1" ginger, grated
• 2 green chilies, chopped
• salt to taste
• 1/4 tsp. turmeric powder
• 1/2 tsp. coriander powder
• 1/2 tsp. cumin powder
• 1/2 tsp. garam masala powder
• 1/2 tsp. red chilil powder
• 2-3 tbsp. coriander leaves, chopped
• oil to shallow fry

             Pressure cook the millet in 1 cup water for 4 whistles. 

           Then blend in a food processor along with the paneer. (Do not add any water) 

  

           Mix with the rest of the ingredients (except oil) and form a dough.

           Make cutlets of any shape out of it and refrigerate for some time. 

 

           Heat oil in a pan and shallow fry the cutlets, few at a time, on both sides till light golden in color.

           Drain on a kitchen towel and serve as an evening tea-time snack or as an appetizer with tomato ketchup / green chutney.

                Mix the blended millet & paneer with the rest of the ingredients (except oil).

                                 ...... and form a dough.

                            Make cutlets of any shape out of it and refrigerate for some time. 

                      Heat oil & shallow fry the cutlets on both sides till light golden in colour.

                                  Drain on a kitchen towel.

                  Serve as an evening tea-time snack or as an appetizer with tomato ketchup / 

                  green chutney.

Spinach (Palak) Paatra

 

          Paatra, a popular Gujarati Snack is also known as Aloo Vadi in Maharashtra and Pathrode in Mangalore. The method of making it, is almost the same. Traditionally, Paatra is prepared using Colocasia leaves that is liberally smeared with a spiced gram flour paste, rolled, steamed, sliced and then shallow fried. 

          However, in this recipe, I substituted it with few spinach leaves. For a healthier option, you can have them steamed. No matter what, it just tastes yummy. You can enjoy this healthy snack as an appetizer / snack with some chutney / tomato sauce or as a tea-time snack too. So check out the step by step pictorial recipe to prepare my version of this recipe.

• 10 fresh spinach leaves, preferably large in size, washed & pat dried
• 1 cup gram flour 
• 2 tbsp. semolina
• salt to taste
• 1/2 tsp. turmeric powder
• 1`tsp. red chili powder
• 1 tbsp. fresh grated coconut 
• 1/2 tsp. tamarind paste
• 1 tsp. sesame seeds
• 1/2 tsp. garam masala powder
• pinch of baking soda
• 1 tsp. coriander-cumin powder
• 2-3 tbsp. mint leaves, chopped
• 1 tbsp. oil
• water as needed

Tempering - 

• 2 tbsp. oil
• 1 tsp. mustard seeds
• 1/2 tsp. cumin seeds 
• 1 sprig curry leaves
• 1 tsp. sesame seeds
• 1/4 tsp. asafoetida
• 1/2 tsp. chili flakes
• 1 tbsp. coriander leaves, chopped
• 1 tbsp. fresh grated coconut

          Make a semi-thick paste with the gram flour and all the other ingredients (except the spinach leaves).

          Take a spinach leaf and smear some paste over it. Take another leaf and place it on the first one. Smear some of the paste on it too, in the same manner. 

          Similarly smear the paste on more leaves depending on the size of the leaves. If the leaves are large then 2 leaves are enough. If not, work with 4-5 leaves. 

 

         Fold them securely. Make similar rolls and steam them for for 20 minutes. When cool, cut them into 1/2 inch slices.

          Heat oil in a pan and temper with mustard seeds. After it stops spluttering, add cumin seeds, sesame seeds, asafoetida and the curry leaves.

          Sauté for a few seconds and add the sliced Paatra. Give it a toss and stir fry on a low flame till they are crisp and light golden in colour on both sides. 

          Garnish with coriander leaves and fresh grated coconut. Serve as an appetizer with chutney / tomato sauce or as a tea time snack.

                   Make a semi-thick paste with the gram flour and all the other ingredients 

                   (except the spinach leaves). 

                                 Take a spinach leaf and smear some paste over it. 

                                  Take another & place it on top of the first one. 

                                  Smear some of the paste on it in the same manner. 

                                 Fold them securely.

                                  Make similar rolls and steam them for for 20 minutes.

                                  When cool, cut them into 1/2 inch slices.

                     Heat oil & temper with mustard seeds. Then add cumin seeds, sesame seeds,                                     asafoetida and the curry leaves. Sauté for a few seconds.

                   Add the sliced Paatra and give it a toss. Stir fry till they are crisp and light

                   golden in colour on both sides. 

                                  Garnish with coriander leaves and fresh grated coconut. 

                       Serve as an appetizer with chutney / tomato sauce or as a tea time snack.

Parippu Vada (Lentil Fritters / Pakora - Kerala style)

 

          Parippu Vada is a very popular Kerala style deep fried fritters made of chana dal and tuvar dal. They are absolutely easy to make and are an ideal tea-time snack / party snack. Few basic ingredients like onion, ginger, green chilies and curry leaves are needed to dish out these yummy vadas. You can also enjoy these fritters as an appetizer with any chutney. They tastes real yum. So check out the step by step pictorial recipe to prepare it.

• 1 cup chana dal (Bengal Gram lentil)
• 1/3 cup tuvar dal (Pigeon Pea lentil)
• 1 onion, chopped 
• 1 tsp. ginger, grated
• 2 sprigs curry leaves, chopped
• 2 green chilies, chopped
• 1/2 tsp. red chili flakes
• salt to taste
• oil to deep fry

          Soak the lentils overnight or for a minimum of 4-5 hours. Then blend it coarsely without adding any water. 

          Now mix together with all the remaining ingredients (except oil) and keep aside. 

          Meanwhile, heat oil in a pan. Take a small portion of the mix and give it a round flat shape. 

          Gently drop it in the hot oil and fry on both sides till golden in colour. Drain on a kitchen towel and serve as a tea-time snack. 

                                  Blend the soaked lentils coarsely without adding any water. 

                                 Mix together with all the remaining ingredients (except oil).

                     Make round shaped flat balls out of the mix & drop them in the hot oil. 

    

                                 Fry on both sides till golden in colour.

                                  Drain on a kitchen towel.

                                   Enjoy as a tea-time snack.