Pinched Rice Flour Pakora Fritters With Papaya Recipes

PAKORA (INDIAN VEGETABLE FRITTERS)

Steps:

• Make batter: Place chickpea flour in a bowl with the spices (turmeric, cumin, coriander, fenugreek, chilli). Slow whisk in the water.
• Mix in Vegetables: Add potato, cauliflower, onion, ginger, chilli and coriander. Mix well with a wooden spoon. It should be a thick batter, almost paste-like.
• Preheat oven to 80°C/175°F - to keep cooked pakoras warm. Set a rack over a tray.
• Heat oil: Heat 4cm / 1.5" oil in a large heavy based pot to 180°C/350°F (Note 6).
• Form patties: Drop 2 tbsp of batter roughly formed into a patty shape into the oil. I use my hands (as is typical in India!) but you can also use 2 tablespoons (be careful of splash-age). Don't crowd the pot, it will lower the temperature too much.
• Fry pakoras: Fry 2 - 3 minutes until golden. Drain on paper towels. Keep cooked pakoras hot in the oven on a rack set over a tray.
• Serve: Serve pakoras with Coriander Mint Sauce or Minted Yogurt Sauce!

RICE FLOUR AND CASHEW PAKORA FRITTERS

Steps:

• 1. In a food processor, process together the ginger, green chili pepper, onion, cilantro, and spinach until minced. Add the cashews and pulse until the nuts are coarsely chopped. Remove to a bowl. Mix in the rice and chickpea flours, salt, and baking soda.2. Heat the oil per directions in INFORMATION AND SPECIAL TECHNIQUES: __Frying Fritters (Pakorae Talna). Carefully, using clean fingers or a spoon, drop 3/4- to 1-inch balls of the mixture into the hot oil and fry as directed. Transfer to paper towels to drain. Then serve on a platter lined with shredded lettuce.VARIATION: Substitute peanuts or almonds for the cashews, or mix different nuts together.From "1,000 Indian Recipes." Copyright 2002 by Neelam Batra. Used with permission of the publisher, Wiley Publishing, Inc. All Rights Reserved.

PAPAYA FRITTERS

Steps:

• Combine flour, milk, egg and sugar. Then stir in papaya. (do not use electric mixer).
• Drop by teaspoonfuls into hot oil.
• Cook 1 to 2 minutes on each side or until golden brown.
• Drain on paper towels.
• Fritters can also be cooked on a griddle, like a pancake.
• Serve hot as a snack or side dish.

PINCHED RICE FLOUR PAKORA FRITTERS WITH PAPAYA

Steps:

• 1. In a food processor, pulse together the ginger, green chile peppers, onion, cilantro, spinach, and lemon juice until just minced. (Do not Purée.) Add the papaya and pulse until coarsely chopped (do not mince). Transfer to a bowl. Add the rice and chickpea flours, salt, and baking soda and mix well to make a thick, almost dough-like mixture. Add some more rice or chickpea flour, if needed.2. Heat 1 tablespoon oil in a small nonstick saucepan over medium-high heat and add the mustard seeds and asafoetida. They should splutter upon contact with the hot oil, so cover the pan and reduce the heat until the spluttering subsides. Quickly add the curry leaves, stir 30 seconds, then mix the spices into the mixture.3. Heat the peanut oil as per directions in INFORMATION AND SPECIAL TECHNIQUES: __Frying Fritters (Pakorae Talna). Divide the mixture into 12 equal portions and form into rolls or cylinders, each about 1 inch thick and 3 inches long (they don't have to be smooth). Carefully slide them into the hot oil, adding as many as the wok can hold at one time without crowding, and fry, turning and moving them around as needed until golden, 2 to 3 minutes.4. Transfer with slotted spatula to paper towels to drain. When cool enough to handle, pinch off about 1-inch pieces from each roll and refry in hot oil, drain on paper towels again, then serve on a bed of shredded lettuce.From "1,000 Indian Recipes." Copyright 2002 by Neelam Batra. Used with permission of the publisher, Wiley Publishing, Inc. All Rights Reserved.