KEERAI PAKODA I GREENS PAKODA I CRISPY AMARANTH PAKORAS I ARAI KEERAI PAKODA - 2nd GUEST POST FROM DIVYA PRAMIL

Hi friends, am really very cheerful to post another guest post (2nd) on my space with one of my best blogger friend  Divy (Divya Pramil) from You Too Can Cook… I know no need introduction for the young, popular and very lovely blogger and have to say she is admirable in photograph. She is a good friend of mine in the blogosphere and I have well-liked her blog from my starting period of  blogging.  One fine day we started to chitchat in FB about blogging, after that we had talk about about SNC, then day-to-day activities and personal life too and now we are very close friends and she is very modest down to earth person and I always feel very comfortable with her chats and sometimes we do SMS too…

I love all her recipes other than non-veg, coz I am pure veg…J Lot of recipes I love but these are some of my very delightful n my darling recipes on her space

• Rajma Patties (Rajma Cutlets)
• Sweet Maida Paniyaram
• Mango Nungu Milk (Mango ice-apple milk)
• JigardhandaChristmas Pops | Star Pops
• Aval Payasam
• Strawberry Rasgullas
• Broccoli Sambar
• Potato Pepper Fry etc... 

I love her way of cooking in different manner, write ups and events n all… Next I have to tell about her photographic skills art, yeah can learn many from her and at all times love to see her adorable clicks even the pictures will chat with me…J She has given me many tips/ideas for photography and she is one person who encourages me all the time…

When I asked her for guest post she instantaneously accepted but I was on the queue, yeah she is such charming person to all, so am happily waiting for her guest post… She made a healthy as well as with calorie crispy and enjoyable snack…

U know I couldn’t  find any words to say about her, am just  excited and dumbstruck  to post here, in fact very proud to have such a astonishing, lovable friend and sister like her… Thank u so much Divy for accepting to do guest post on my space…

NOW OVER TO SWEET DIVY

Hi dear friends glad to share with you all my 10th guest post that I have prepared for one of my dearest friend Viji. 

Viji is one among my good enthusiastic friends whom I earned after I started SNC event. Needless to say, she has been a very big support, to me and my event, right from the very beginning. There are some friends who have been a pillar of support and Viji is one among them. We've been friends for long, it has been a very healthy one and am happy about that. Virtual world does bring more happiness, a healthier relationship and a better understanding than the real world, hope many agree with me here. The best thing I like about Viji is her innocence. Also, I should definitely mention about her patience here, she runs a monthly event at her space and all her round ups show a lot about it. The way she explains things, the way she describes about an award or the event itself in her post does make me wonder how much patience she must have. 

Viji had asked me a guest post very long ago and I was able to provide her one only now. Thanks to her patience here she was kind enough to wait for me and my post. Thank you Viji for the opportunity and for being such a good friend. Wishing you all success in your future endeavours!!!

Coming to the recipe, Keerai pakoda (as we Tamilians call it) or pakora is one among my favorite snack; it is such a pleasurable way of eating greens. One cannot identify the greens inside these crispy tit bits and so anyone, especially fussy eaters can be fooled into eating greens very easily. I have used Arai keerai (Amaranth greens) to make these pakoras, you can use any kind of greens here. Palak (spinach) will also do well, but I haven't tried with fenugreek greens. To get pakoras just like the ones you get in stalls, just follow the procedure I have given here, the basic trick into getting crispy pakoras is to use only fat (i.e. vanaspathi/dalda or ghee) instead of water to bind the ingredients together. The moisture from the greens is enough and so no extra water is needed. This makes the pakoras crispy and perfect just like the store bought ones.

Dalda is the best option here, but if you do not have vanaspathi/dalda you can replace it with ghee also. I have used ghee here, it gives a nice aroma and a super tasting pakora, but if you the diet conscious person, this is not the recipe for you. But who would like to miss this crispy and tasty snack? Once in a while is not gonna harm you or your diet. So common just give a try someday and enjoy it with a hot cup of tea!!! Am already craving for it.

INGREDIENTS

Makes snack for 2 people

Total preparation time - 10 minutes

1. Chopped greens / Keerai - 1 cup (a handful, any greens variety I used Araikeerai) 
2. Gram flour / Kadalai maavu - 1 small cup (50 grams) 
3. Rice flour - 1 spoon 
4. Big onion - 1 (chopped) 
5. Chopped coriander leaves - A handful (optional) 
6. Curry leaves - A handful
7. Green chillies - 1 (chopped)
8. Red chilli powder - 1 spoon 
9. Coriander powder - 1/2 spoon 
10. Fennel seeds - 1/2 spoon 
11. Salt - As per taste 
12. Ghee - 3 spoons / Vanaspati - 3 spoons (1/4 cup) 
13. Oil - For deep frying 

PREPARATION METHOD

• Add all the ingredients except oil and ghee, mix well pressing the flour well with onions. 
• Then add ghee or vanaspathi little by little and mix well. Do not add water, sprinkle if necessary, but avoid water to get the perfect pakodas. Onions and greens will let out enough water to bind with the flour well. The mixture should be wet but should not be like batter. 

• Heat a pan and pour oil to deep fry the pakodas. After it heats up, pinch a small piece of the mixture and drop into the hot oil, if the pakodas rises up immediately then the oil is hot enough to fry the pakodas. If it comes up and browns/blackens immediately, then the oil is too hot and not fit for frying. If in case the piece does not rise but stays at the bottom then the oil is not hot enough. 
• After the oil reaches the perfect temperature pinch marble sized pieces (randomly) and gently slide into the hot oil and fry on medium flame until the pakodas turn crispy and golden brown. 

•  Remove from flame and place on a tissue paper to remove excess oil. 
•  Serve or store in airtight boxes after it reaches room temperature. 

TIP 1: Do not add water while making pakodas, just use the water content in greens and onions and press well, ghee or Dalda will help you bind the flour well, so keep pressing until you can pinch a ball that does not fall apart easily. 

TIP 2: Use Sunflower oil or any odourless oil to deep fry the pakodas. Never use gingelly oil. 

TIP 3: You can make the same pakodas without adding greens, add more onion to make onion pakodas. 

Crispy pakodas are now ready!! A cup of hot cardamom tea with these crispy pakodas makes the best evening!!

SUCH A VERY LOVELY CRISPY SNACK AND THANK U SO MUCH DIVY FOR THE WONDERFUL GUEST POST FOR ME!!! 

I WISH U VERY SUCCESS WITH YOUR PROGRESS FOREVER MORE...