Pakodi Raita

Pakodi Raita presents a unique concept of having crispy Besan (gram flour) Pakodi with beaten yogurt.

It is quicker to make than Dahi Vadas (Dahi Bhallas) and taste excellent, moreover, no sweet tamarind chutney is required to enjoy it as filler between two meals or as a side dish with main meal. Temper the Pakodi Raita with cumin seeds and asafetida.

Ingredients:

For Pakoris:

• 1 cup Bengal Gram flour (besan)
• 1 tbsp Coriander Leaves chopped fine
• 1 Green Chili chopped fine
• 1 small Onion chopped fine
• ½ tsp Red Chili powder (optional)
• Pinch of Asafetida powder
• Salt to taste
• ¼ tsp ENO or baking powder

For Dahi:

• 1 cup fresh Yogurt
• 1 tbsp Coriander Leaves finely chopped
• 1 tbsp Green Chili chopped fine
• Salt mix to taste
• ½ tsp roasted Jeera powder
• ½ tsp Red Chili powder

For Tempering:

• ½ tsp cumin seeds
• Pinch of asafetida
• 1 tbsp oil

Method:

Prepare Pakodi:

• Mix all the ingredients for Pakodi together to form a thick batter (as for fritters).
• Heat the oil for deep frying, on a medium flame.
• Use a tablespoon (or your hand if you are more comfortable with that) to drop small portions of batter into the hot oil.
• Fry till golden, drain, remove from the oil and keep aside till they come down to normal room temperature.
• Once all Pakodi are fried, dip them in plenty of water and soak for about 10 minutes.

Prepare yogurt mix:

• In a bowl beat yogurt till smooth. Add salt mix, roasted cumin powder, red chili powder. Add seasoning to this.
• For Tempering: Heat oil in a small pan. Add cumin seeds. When spluttering is stopped add asafetida.
• Add this tempering to yogurt mix and immediately cover the bowl so that the aroma of the tempering is absorbed completely by yogurt. Leave it covered for about 10 minutes.

Serving:

• Take out Pakodi from water. Gently press out each Pakodi between palms and place in a flat serving dish.
• Pour yogurt mix over the Pakodi.
• Garnish with chopped cilantro leaves and chopped green chilies.
• Keep in fridge covered till required.

Do You Know?

Pakora / pakoda / pakodi / bajji / bhajji / bhajiya is all the same. It is a fried savory snack popularly prepared across South Asian countries

The word pakora is derived from Sanskrit pakvavaṭa, a pakva means ‘cooked’ and vaṭa means ‘a small lump’ or its derivative vaṭaka means ‘a round cake made of pulse fried in ghee’.