If rains don’t scream bread pakora and chai I don’t know what will. Every north Indian will relate to this emotion. It takes us back to those times when the evening tea-breaks meant going to a nearby roadside small stall and having “cutting chai” (a 2 sip thick flavourful masala tea) and piping hot pakoras. The bread pakoras are of 2 varieties – one when bread pieces are dipped in chickpea flour and fried and the other with potato stuffing.
Need –
- Potatoes – 3 – boiled and peeled
- Onion – 1 – chopped
- Green chilli – 2- chopped
- Ginger – 2 inch – chopped or grated
- Turmeric – 1/2 tsp
- Salt
- Mustard seeds – 1 tsp
- Chana dal – 1/2 tsp
- Curry leaves – 5 – chopped
- Jeera – 1/2 tsp
- Oil – 1 tbsp + for frying
- Lemon juice- 1 tbsp
- Bread slices – 8 slices
- For batter – 1 cup besan
- Red chilli powder – 1 tsp
- Salt
- Hing – 2 big pinch
- Rice flour – 1 tbsp
- Water
Process –
- Grate or mash the boiled potatoes.
- Heat 1 tbsp oil and temper mustard seeds, jeera , chana dal and curry leaves.
- Add chilli , ginger , onion , turmeric and sauté , add the potatoes and salt , mix well . Add lemon juice and keep aside.
- Mix the batter with enough water to keep a thick pouring consistency. Easier way is to check with the back of a spoon if it coats well and stay there. Heat oil for frying.
- Cut the bread slices into triangles. Take one triangle and place the stuffing in the middle leaving 2 cm gap on all sides. Place the other one over it and pinch all sides together to stick and so that the filling doesn’t come out.
- Now carefully dip it in the batter to coat all sides. Use a fork to dip if necessary.
- Fry them in hot oil in medium temperature till nice and crispy and you see brown spots.
TamarindtoAmchur 