Season for pakodas

Ajwaini broccoli, mushroom, bell peppers and zucchini pakoda

Ingredients
20 gm broccoli
20 gm mushroom
20 gm bell peppers
20 gm zucchini
15 ml olive oil
Garlic paste
2 gm garlic
2 gm chilli flakes
Salt to taste
Pepper to taste
50 gm corn flour
30 gm refined flour
Water to mix
5 gm carom seeds (ajwain)
Tomato sauce
Jalapenos

Method: Cut the zucchini, bell pepper and carrots into thin slices, the broccoli into florets and the mushrooms in caps. Make a batter using garlic paste, ajwain, corn flour, refined flour, water, salt and pepper. Season the vegetables with salt and pepper, coat with batter. Air fry the vegetables till crisp, turn the side in between if the air fryer does not have automatic agitator. Alternatively, deep-fry it in refined oil.

In a pan, heat oil, add garlic, chilli flakes, tomato sauce and chopped jalapeno to make a spicy sauce to go with the pakodas.

Kaju pakodi

Kaju Pakodi

Ingredients
100 gm cashew nuts
10 gm curry leaves
10 gm jeera, whole
10 gm coriander seeds
50 ml ghee
Sunflower oil
Salt to taste
10 gm chilli powder
10 gm coriander powder
5 gm red chillies
60 gm besan flour
5 gm urad dal
5 gm mustard seeds
20 ml water

Method
Soak cashew nuts in water for half an hour, drain and keep aside. In a mixing bowl, mix the nuts with jeera, coriander seeds, ghee, chilli powder, coriander powder and besan. Sprinkle water to make a loose and crumbly mixture, and adjust seasoning.

Heat oil in a pan and fry till golden or use an airfryer. Temper with curry leaves, mustard seeds, and urad dal.

Kakarkai pakoda

Kakarkai pakoda
Ingredients
200 gm bitter gourd
100 gm besan
30 gm rice flour
Salt to taste
10 gm curry leaves
20 gm jeera powder
20 gm chilli powder
10 gm turmeric powder
50 gm onions
10 gm mustard seeds
10 gm moong dal
Refined sunflower oil
50 ml water

Method
Wash and peel bitter gourd, cut into thin slices. Pat dry on a dry cloth.
In a mixing bowl, mix bitter gourd with besan, rice flour, salt, chilli powder, turmeric and jeera powder. Add sliced onions to the above mixture and sprinkle about 50 ml water to make a semi-dry slurry.

Deep fry the mixture in batches, in hot oil, drain on a paper towel. Or use an airfryer. In a frying pan, temper the pakodas with curry leaves, moong dal and mustard seeds.

Pesto Bocconcini Pakoda
Ingredients
20 gm bocconcini / mozzarella cheese
2 slices sandwich bread
30 gm bread crumbs
30 ml milk
Salt to taste
Pepper to taste
30 gm flour
10 ml tomato sauce
5 gm olives
5 gm caper berry
5 ml basil pesto
2 gm Parmesan shavings

Method
Cut roundels of breads with a cutter, cut similar sizes of the mozzarella. Freeze the bread roundels to harden them, coat the mozzarella with pesto and seasoning. Sandwich the pesto crusted mozzarella between two roundels of bread, dip in seasoned milk, dust with flour and bread crumbs. Repeat the crumbing process once more. Store in a fridge for at least two hours.

Blend tomato sauce, olives, caper berries and season with salt and pepper. Air fry the pakodas till golden brown, turn the side in between if the air fryer does not have an automatic agitator. Alternatively, deep-fry it in refined oil.

In a saucepan, heat the olive capers and tomato sauce. Serve the sauce along with the cheese pakodas.

— Compiled by Priyanka Praveen