Colocasia Fritters – Pakodi or pakora recipe, a simple savory snack recipe prepared as an evening snack. This is a little modified version of the famous onion pakoda. Adding the arbi/chama leaf to this recipe makes it even nutritious and colorful. With this step by step photo recipe, making it at home is now easier than ever and you can’t go wrong with it even if you are novice. Whether you want to entertain guests or just enjoy the pleasant rainy evening or cold wintery days, crispy and spicy pakoda can never go out of fashion. Its even better when accompanied by masala tea or your favorite chutney. The most common way to prepare this snack is, onions are mixed with gram flour, rice flour, Arbi leaves and basic Indian spices and then deep fried until crispy.

i have used a combination of besan and rice flour to prepare the crispy snack. while the besan is essential for this recipe, rice flour adds crispiness to the snack. Adding little oil to the flours also help to achieve crispiness.

This snack can be stored for 3 to 4 days. Just make sure to cool it completely before storing to keep them crispy.

Few extra tips and tricks

Slice the onions neither too thick nor too thin. If the onion is too thin, it will get burnt in oil.
Be extra careful while adding moisture or water to the besan and onion mixture. Generally, onion slices and leaves do have moisture in them and are more than sufficient for the coating but if you feel you need water, add in batches.
The pakora has to be deep-fried in a low to medium flame for evenly distribution of heat and eventually to cook it evenly. And also, low flame makes it more crispy and brittle in texture.
Deep fry the pakoras only till the onions fry 95% as the pakora retains heat for few more minutes and turn the onions crispy. Do not fry till the onions turn completely brown.
Adding cumin seeds and azwain (vamu) seeds in the preparation helps in digestion and prevents the gas formation.
Soak the cashews in water for a few minutes, then add to the onion mixture to prevent cashews from burning.
Cool completely before storing in an airtight container.
If you think they become little soft, you can heat them in an air frier for 2 or 3 minutes to turn them crispy and hot.

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How to make Chama Aaku Pakodi

PREP TIME: 10 MINS

COOK TIME: 30 MINS

TOTAL TIME: 40 MINS

COURSE: SNACKS

CUISINE: SOUTH INDIAN STEET FOOD

SERVINGS : 4

Ingredients

besan / chickpea flour – 1.5 cups
rice flour – 1/2 cup
onion – 1 medium-large, sliced lengthwise
arbi leaf – 2 cups, chopped (3 big leaves)
green chillies – 6-8, slit (adjust few or more to your spice level)
cashew nuts – few
cumin seeds – 1 tsp
coriander powder – 1 tsp
curry leaves – few
ginger garlic paste – 1 tsp
oil – 2 tsp in flour, and for deep fry
ginger garlic paste – 1 tsp
azwain seeds (vamu) – 1/2 tsp
coriander seeds – 1 tsp, crushed
salt – 1 tsp
red chilly powder – 2 tsp
baking soda – pinch

Instructions

In a mixing bowl, add 1.5 cups besan, 1/2 cup rice flour and 2 tsp oil. Mix well and keep it aside.
In another mixing bowl, add thinly slice the onions. make sure to slice of uniform thickness as it helps to fry easily.
Add 6-8 slit green chillies, 2 cups chopped arbi leaves, few curry leaves, 2 tsp red chilly powder, 1 tsp cumin powder, 1 tsp coriander powder, 1/2 tsp ajwain, 1 tsp ginger paste, 1 tsp crushed coriander seeds, pinch of baking soda, soaked cashew nuts, and 1 tsp salt.
Squeeze and mix well making sure all the spices are well combined and onions release moisture.
Add besan and rice flour mix to the onions and mix well.
Squeeze and mixture without adding any water. If needed, just add 2 tbsp of water. The water in the onion is enough to form the dough. Add more besan if required.
Heat the oil in kadai for deep frying in medium heat.
Now drop the dough with your fingers into hot oil forming a random shape.
Fry on medium flame stirring occasionally.
Fry until the pakoda turns golden brown and crisp. Onions should be cooked only 95%.
Drain off the pakoda and enjoy as is or with hot tea or sweet or green chutney or ketchup.

Tips

Mixing oil in flours helps to get crispy pakoda.
Squeeze the onions well to release the juice from them. Use water sparingly.
Fry the pakora on medium heat only.
Make sure to store the pakora in an airtight container once cooled completely. else the pakora will turn soggy.

Step by step photo instructions

In a mixing bowl, add 1.5 cups besan, 1/2 cup rice flour and 2 tsp oil. Mix well and keep it aside.

2. Slice green chillies and onions, make sure to slice of uniform thickness as it helps to fry easily.

3. In another mixing bowl, add thinly slice the onions, 6-8 slit green chillies, 2 cups chopped arbi leaves, few curry leaves, 2 tsp red chilly powder, 1 tsp cumin powder, 1 tsp coriander powder, 1/2 tsp ajwain, 1 tsp ginger paste, 1 tsp crushed coriander seeds, pinch of baking soda, soaked cashew nuts, and 1 tsp salt.

4. Squeeze and mix well making sure all the spices are well combined and onions release moisture.

5. Add besan and rice flour mix to the onions and mix well.

6. Squeeze and mixture without adding any water. If needed, just add 2 tbsp of water. The water in the onion is enough to form the dough. Add more besan if required.