Cabbage pakoda, also known as cabbage fritters, is a delicious and crispy Indian snack. It’s made by coating thinly sliced cabbage with a spiced gram flour batter and deep-frying until golden brown. Here’s a simple recipe to make cabbage pakoda at home:
Ingredients:
- – 2 cups thinly sliced cabbage
- – 1 cup gram flour (besan)
- – 2-3 tablespoons rice flour
- – 1 teaspoon red chili powder (adjust to taste)
- – 1/2 teaspoon turmeric powder
- – 1 teaspoon cumin seeds
- – 1/2 teaspoon carom seeds (ajwain)
- – Salt to taste
- – A pinch of baking soda (optional, for extra crispiness)
- – Water, as needed
- – Oil for deep frying
Instruction:
- Prepare the Cabbage:
- – Start by thinly slicing the cabbage. You can use a sharp knife or a mandolin slicer to achieve thin and even slices.
- – Place the sliced cabbage in a large mixing bowl.
- Prepare the Batter:
- – In a separate mixing bowl, combine the gram flour, rice flour, red chili powder, turmeric powder, cumin seeds, carom seeds, and salt.
- – If you want extra crispiness, add a pinch of baking soda to the dry ingredients.
- – Gradually add water to the dry ingredients and whisk to form a smooth batter. The batter should have a thick but flowing consistency, similar to pancake batter. Ensure there are no lumps.
- Coat the Cabbage:
- – Add the sliced cabbage to the batter and mix well, ensuring that each cabbage slice is coated with the batter.
- Heat the Oil:
- – Heat enough oil in a deep frying pan or kadai over medium-high heat. To check if the oil is hot enough, drop a small amount of batter into the oil; if it sizzles and rises to the surface, the oil is ready for frying.
- Fry the Pakodas:
- – Carefully drop spoonfuls of the cabbage and batter mixture into the hot oil. You can use a spoon or your fingers to do this.
- – Fry the pakodas in batches, making sure not to overcrowd the pan. Overcrowding can lower the oil temperature and result in soggy pakodas.
- – Fry the pakodas until they turn golden brown and crispy, turning them occasionally to ensure even cooking. This usually takes about 4-5 minutes per batch.
- Drain and Serve:
- – Once the pakodas are golden brown and crispy, use a slotted spoon to remove them from the oil and drain on paper towels to remove excess oil.
- – Repeat the frying process with the remaining batches of batter and cabbage.
- Serve Hot:
- – Cabbage pakodas are best enjoyed hot and crispy. Serve them with your favorite chutney, such as mint chutney or tamarind chutney.
Cabbage pakodas make for a delightful tea-time snack or an appetizer for gatherings. Enjoy their crispy texture and the flavorful blend of spices.