Bittergourd fritters/Karela pakodas

Most of us detest bitter gourd but almost everyone likes them fried.These are just a different version of fried bitter gourd rings.Try them you'll love them.

I get really happy and gleam with happiness when the clouds come in and its about to rain, especially in dry places such as this when the few drops of rain come down the drenched trees top dancing with new shine make me all the more joyful.As i type this post the skies are darkening and I can hear the rain drops fall on the leaves, the cool winds in my bedroom and scent of wet soil fills my mind and soul.I love the monsoons!

My mom actually told me to try it this way even though i have tasted pavakka pakoda a few years ago from some chips' vendor i never tried it at home.These really turned out good and are a great side dish to any pulav or just plain sambar/rasam and rice.

You need
Bitter gourd 2 medium
Besan/ kadala maav/gram flour 3 tablespoon
Rice flour 2 tsp
Salt to taste
Chilli powder 1 tsp
Chopped curry leaves 2 sprigs
Crushed garlic 2
Water to sprinkle and mix the above
Oil to deep fry

- Wash the bittergourds and cut them into thin rings.Place them in a large mixing bowl, now add the remaining ingredients.
- Sprinkle water little by litte so that the flours evenly coat the rings thinly.Let this rest for about half hour or more.
- Deep fry them and drain them onto kitchen towels.

- Serve hot with pulav and raita.

Bittergourd fritters/Karela pakodas

Most of us detest bitter gourd but almost everyone likes them fried.These are just a different version of fried bitter gourd rings.Try them you'll love them.

Rajasthani kadhi

I got this book Rajasthani Cooking by Tarla Dalal last year from Gayathri.I didn;t get a chance to thank her sending it over.My Mango kulfis won me this award.Those kulfis like my DH said were my one of my most successful trials.And a super duper hit.

Today's recipe is a rajasthani kadhi out of that book.I have tried many of these recipes which do not need coconut or any grinding while i was in London(since i didn't have a mixie there).So this was one really easy curry that was a good accompaniment to rice and chapatis equally!

Kadhi is the northie cousin of the southie more kuzhambu.We make our more(buttermilk) kuzhambu/curry with a variety of soft vegetables like ashgourd, pumpkins,green mangoes and even ladyfingers, while the kadhi is made with pakodas.It is a simple yet tasty dish which suits well with plain steamed rice, jeera rice or even chapatis.

I served it with steamed rice and roasted potatoes for lunch and with chapatis for dinner.

You need

For the kadhi

Yogurt 2 cups

Besan/chickpea flour 1 cup

Chilli powder 1 tsp

Turmeric powder 1/2 tsp

Salt to taste

Hing/asoefetida a generous pinch

For the seasoning:

Oil 2 tsp

Coriander seeds 1/2 tsp

Jeera/cumin seeds 1/2 tsp

Mustard seeds 1/2 tsp

Dried red chillies 2

Curry leaves a sprig

For the pakodas

Besan 2 tablespoon

Chopped coriander leaves 2 tablespoons

Green chillies 1/2 chopped finely

Turmeric powder 1/4 tp

Baking soda a pinch

Salt to taste

Water to mix

Oil to deep fry

• Mix the ingredients for the kadhi in a bowl with a whisk so it stays lumpless.Set aside.
• Heat this on a low/medium flame and keep whisking it until gets nice and thick and the raw besan smell goes away for about 7-10 minutes.Turn off the flame and let it cool.
• Mix the ingredients for the pakodas, mix enough water so that it should just drop into the oil with a spoon.Not too runny not too thick.
• Deep fry the pakodas and drain on a tissue paper.
• Drop the pakodas into the kadhi.
• Heat oil in a pan, add the seasoning and pour in over the kadhi.
• Serve hot with rice and roasted potatoes.

The pakodas need to soak up the flavours of the kadhi so this tastes better after sometime of cooking.

Have fun enjoying Rajasthani food.

Sending this to ONLY cookbooks event at runner in the girl and Paris space 

Rajasthani kadhi

I got this book Rajasthani Cooking by Tarla Dalal last year from Gayathri.I didn;t get a chance to thank her sending it over.My Mango kulfis won me this award.Those kulfis like my DH said were my one of my most successful trials.And a super duper hit.

Today's recipe is a rajasthani kadhi out of that book.I have tried many of these recipes which do not need coconut or any grinding while i was in London(since i didn't have a mixie there).So this was one really easy curry that was a good accompaniment to rice and chapatis equally!