Crispy Chana Dal Pakora Recipe | Lentil
fritters|| Dal Pakodawith step-by-step photos and video....
Chana Dal
Pakora, also known as Lentil Fritters, is a delightful
deep-fried snack that is a cherished treat often savored during Iftar in
Ramadan. While this tasty dish, also known as masala vada in India, has found
immense popularity there, it remains relatively rare in Pakistan,
where it's
seldom seen at street stalls or sweet shops. In my family, we fondly call it
"kachri," a traditional name that has been lovingly passed down
through generations.
These
golden-brown fritters, made from coarsely ground chana dal (split chickpeas),
boast a unique combination of crispy exterior and a soft, flavorful interior.
The process involves soaking the chana dal until it becomes plump, followed by
grinding it with an array of aromatic spices and a splash of water.
For
a detailed recipe, watch my video where I explain the steps one by one.
My Latest Lentil Fritters Video:
This careful
preparation results in a harmonious blend of textures, where the fritters are
light and airy on the outside while remaining tender and delectable within.
In Pakistan,
pakoras or fritters come in various forms, incorporating a medley of vibrant
vegetables and lentils. When making lentil pakoras, the key is to create a
coarse paste with the lentils and spices, which allows for that coveted crunch.
I typically soak the chana dal for 5-6 hours in warm water to achieve the best
consistency. However, if you're pressed for time, a shorter soak of about 2
hours will suffice.
Chana Dal
Pakora holds a special place in my heart as my all-time favorite snack, and
it’s the perfect accompaniment to a steaming cup of tea. They're traditionally
served alongside zesty green chutney and sweet ketchup, creating a delicious
contrast. It's essential to note that consuming these pakoras can cause gas for some individuals.
Those with
sensitive stomachs might want to enjoy them in moderation. To help alleviate
potential digestive discomfort, I’ve added fresh ginger to the recipe, infusing
the pakoras with a warm, spicy kick. Dive into this flavorful experience and
enjoy every crunchy bite!
Recipe Note:
To make your
lentil fritters super crispy, it's crucial to pay attention to how you grind
the lentils. They should be ground with just a splash of water; adding too much
water will result in soft and soggy fritters. Coarse grinding is essential for
achieving that perfect crispiness.
While
I typically use one type of lentil for my dal pakoda, feel free to experiment
by combining different lentils such as black whole masoor, yellow moong dal,
green moong dal, or even more chana dal to suit your taste.
When frying
the dal pakoda, ensure that the oil is at a medium-hot temperature and fry the
fritters over a high-medium flame until they are nicely crisp. If the flame is
too low, the chana dal pakora will end up uncooked and soggy. Maintaining the
right flame is key for crispy results.
Incorporating
carom seeds (ajwain) and ginger not only enhances the flavor but also makes the
dal pakoda easier to digest and helps prevent gas. Otherwise, it can lead to
discomfort and gas in the intestines. Enjoy your cooking!
Like Our Videos? Then follow and subscribeto us on YouTube for the latest Recipe Video updates.
How to make Lentil
fritters?
Step 1:
To embark on
this delicious culinary adventure, start by soaking the chana dal in warm water
for at least two hours.
This will soften the lentils, enhancing their texture and flavor. While the dal soaks,
Take some time to finely chop the onion,
garlic, ginger, green chilies, and fresh coriander, ensuring that each
ingredient is prepped for optimal impact in the final dish.
2nd step:
Once the chana
dal is adequately soaked, it’s time to blend the ingredients. In a food
processor, combine the softened chana dal, chopped onion, ginger, garlic, dry
red chilies, and green chilies.
Add a touch of black pepper and cumin seeds for
an aromatic depth, along with a splash of water to facilitate the grinding
process.
Pulse the mixture until it's coarsely ground—avoid turning it into a
paste, as we want to maintain a bit of texture for the fritters.
After grinding,
gently fold in the finely chopped green chilies, fresh coriander, and a
generous pinch of salt into the lentil mixture. For those who enjoy a bit of
extra crunch, you may add some chopped onion at this stage.
However, I
personally opted out of adding onion this time to maintain a firmer texture in
the dal pakoda.
3rd Step:
Next, heat oil
in a deep pan over medium heat. Once the oil reaches the right
temperature—medium hot but not smoking—carefully drop in small, flattened
portions of the pakora mixture.
It’s essential to fry them in batches to avoid
overcrowding, as this can lead to the fritters shredding instead of remaining
intact and crispy.
Allow the dal
pakora to fry undisturbed for 2-3 minutes over a medium-high flame. Keep a
close eye on them; once they begin to float to the surface,
it’s time to turn
them over to fry the other side for the same duration. Continue frying,
ensuring an even golden-brown color and a satisfyingly crispy texture.
When perfectly
cooked, use a slotted spoon to transfer the pakoras onto a kitchen towel, where
they can rest and absorb any excess oil.
This final step ensures that each fritter
is delightfully crispy on the outside and bursting with flavor on the inside.
Enjoy your homemade lentil fritters as a snack or a delicious appetizer!
Spring roll | Chicken roll || How to make chicken spring roll with step-by-step photos
Spring Roll is a fried dish usually available. They typically contain minced beef/mutton and vegetables. The colorful, tempting roll is prepared by using chicken, carrot, cabbage, capsicum, and other seasonings and sauces.
You can also add vegetables of your choice to enhance its flavor and serve it hot with ketchup, A Crispy, flaky, and tasty spring roll is known as one of the hot favorite snacks, It's not hard to make it just have to prepare to fill it with spring roll and roll sheets are available at any grocery store or sweet shop.
Chop all vegetables and stir fry them with 1 tbsp oil on high flame for 2 minutes, in the end, add 1 tsp sugar mix well vegetables, and remove from the flame your veggies are ready to use in many recipes such as noodles, spaghetti, samosa, and roll, spring rolls are served with ketchup and sauces, so let's begin
If you have tried this Chicken Spring Roll, then don’t forget to rate the recipe. You can also follow me on social media
Like Our Videos? Then follow and subscribe to us on YouTube for the latest Recipe Video updates.
In a pot/saucepan, put chicken boneless and spices with 100 ml water, bring to a boil, then cover the lid, and cook it for 15-20 minutes on medium flame or until the water dries up. Take it out of the pan and shred the chicken; keep aside.
On the other hand, prepare flour batter for binding, take a small bowl to add 2 tbsp plain flour, add water to mix it until it gets a smooth paste.
Grate all vegetables and peel and chop the boiled egg.
Take a frying pan to add 2 tbsp oil, heat it, then add the vegetables. Just sautรฉ it for 2 minutes, then add shredded chicken and chopped eggs and mix them together. Keep the heat on a very low flame during the process. Now add spices to the mixture, stir to mix all the ingredients well, turn the flame on high, and stir-fry for 2 to 3 minutes.s
Remove from the flame and let it cool down completely.
Roll Sheets or strips, you can easily get from any Asian grocery store.
Take out one roll sheet and place the roll sheet/wrapper like a diamond. Place 1 tbsp filling near the corner, no more than that, the less filling the better. Overstuffed spring rolls break apart in the oil. 1 tablespoon is all you need; fold over the corner roll right, and apply flour batter over the sheet edges with the brush/spoon. Fold over the left side. Fold over the other side, no air pocket.t
Now it will look like an envelope. Besides applying flour batter over it, fold the roll sheet to make roll shapes, close it up, and see how nice and neat the egg roll is wrapped. No holes, no air pockets.
Keep them all covered with plastic wrap to prevent drying out. They dry out easily. You can store them in the freezer when you want to have them. You take them out 5 minutes before frying.
Carefully slide the spring rolls in. Inspect each spring roll for corners that have popped open. Fix with more cornstarch slurry if needed. Fry a few at a time, turning to brown evenly. Once they are golden brown, they are done.
Place them on a kitchen towel to absorb excess oil. Now transfer them to the serving tray.
Hot served with ketchup and green sauce, I hope you may enjoy our Chinese Spring roll recipe.
Onion
Pakoda| Onion Fritters || How to make onion fritters with step-by-step photos
Onion Pakora is a crispy, delicious, and deep-fried snackmade with gram flour, salt, spices, and main ingredients like onion or a vegetable. Onion pakora is one of the most
popular and much-loved snacks, especially during the monsoon and cold winters. These are very commonly prepared in most Pakistani homes for
an evening snack and are served with a cup of masala
chai or doodh
patti chai.
Onion pakora is also being sold in street stalls and
restaurants. In most places, onion pakora is served by sprinkling chaat masala and accompanied by green chutney, though I am not crazy about having onion pakora over aloo pakora.
But sometimes I make onion pakora in the rainy season with roti
and chutney,
or sometimes have it only with a hot cup of tea. A very easy and quick deep-fried snack that you can serve
to your unexpected guests :)
Tips to make the best Onion Pakora:
Gram
flour: Using good-quality gram flour or besan is very important, as store-bought gram flour goes rancid very quickly and turns bitter within a few
months. So, always taste test the gram flour before using.
Preparing
onions: to get evenly fried crisp onion pakora, slice the onions
uniformly to thin_some thick or some thin won’t yield crispy, the thicker slices don’t fry well, leaving the
pakora soft, so slice them to a moderately thin size.
Flour: Traditionally, pakora are made with gram flour; however, additional ingredients like rice
flour, semolina, or cornflour are added in the street style and restaurant styles, as these ingredients keep the fritters. So, do use 1-2 tbsp of this in the recipe.
The temperature of the oil: The oil has to be moderately hot enough before adding the
fritters. If the oil is not hot enough, pakora will soak up the oil. If the oil is
too hot, then the onion pakora will brown outside but will not get cooked inside.
Frying
pakora:Pakora has to be fried on a medium-high flame; frying them on a low flame will make them hard, and frying them on a high flame
will burn them from the outside without cooking them inside
For the best result, follow my detailed step-by-step photo instructions and tips.
If you have tried this Onion Pakora Recipe, don’t forget to rate the recipe. You can also follow me on social media to see what’s latest in my kitchen!
Like Our Videos? Then, follow us and subscribe to YouTube for the latest recipe video updates.
Firstly, cut the onion slices into moderately thin slices and add them
to the mixing bowl; keep aside.
Dry roast coriander and cumin seeds for a minute on a low flame. Crush them in the motor, besides adding black peppercorns.
Keep aside
Now start
adding spices to the mixing bowl with the onion slices, such as salt, roasted
ground spices, red chili powder, and red chili flakes.
At the
end, add baking soda along with chopped green chilies and coriander leaves. Stir to
mix up very well.
Leave it
aside for 10 minutes, which helps to onion to release some moisture.
And cover with the plate.
Once the Onion leaves enough moisture
Then add gram flour, cornflour, and more salt if needed.
Mix everything well
to coat the onions with the flour. Mix the flour to
make a moist mass of dough.
Heat the oil in the wok or fry pan for deep frying the pakoda_When the oil is hot enough to regulate the flame to medium-high
Take a small amount of dough and sprinkle it in the oil.
Don’t add too many pakoras in the wok; they should have some space
in the wok to swim around and fry well.
While frying, stir and if neededflip the onion pakora occasionally for even frying.
Fry them till they turn crisp and golden.
Then transfer them
with a ladle to an absorbing tissue placed on a plate or on a colander_Continue to make more onion pakora in batches with the rest of the dough.
Transfer the onion pakora to the serving dish.
Serve onion pakora hot with a cup of tea or coffee_You can also serve them with red or green chutney or sprinkle some chaat masala.