Cauliflower Pakora Fritters With Cilantro Recipes

GOBI PAKORA (CAULIFLOWER PAKODA)

Steps:

• In a pan, Boil enough water with salt.
• Break or chop the cauliflower in medium sized florets.
• Rinse them well and add them to the boiling water.
• Switch off the flame and let the cauliflower florets be immersed in the water for 10 to 12 minutes.
• Drain the water from the cauliflower florets. In a pan marinate the cauliflower with red chili powder, turmeric powder, ginger-garlic paste, garam masala powder. Mix very well and keep aside for 8 to 10 minutes.
• In another bowl, make a smooth batter with the besan/gram flour, asafoetida, baking soda or baking powder, salt and water.
• Next add carom seeds to the batter and mix well.
• Heat oil in a kadai or deep fryer. You can use any neutral tasting oil with a high smoking point.
• Take each marinated cauliflower and dip in the batter.
• Coat each floret evenly with the batter and add them carefully in the medium hot oil.
• When one side becomes slightly crisp and the batter firms up then turn over with a slotted spoon and continue to fry the other side.
• Fry till the cauliflower fritters are crisp and golden evenly. You will have to turn the pakora a couple of times for even frying.
• With a slotted spoon remove the pakoda and drain as much oil as possible. Then keep them on paper towels to remove excess oil.
• Serve the cauliflower pakoda hot or warm with any green chutney or sauce, sprinkled with chaat masala, lemon juice and chopped coriander leaves. You can also have them with roti or stuff them between bread slices or dinner rolls.

PAKORA (INDIAN VEGETABLE FRITTERS)

Steps:

• Make batter: Place chickpea flour in a bowl with the spices (turmeric, cumin, coriander, fenugreek, chilli). Slow whisk in the water.
• Mix in Vegetables: Add potato, cauliflower, onion, ginger, chilli and coriander. Mix well with a wooden spoon. It should be a thick batter, almost paste-like.
• Preheat oven to 80°C/175°F - to keep cooked pakoras warm. Set a rack over a tray.
• Heat oil: Heat 4cm / 1.5" oil in a large heavy based pot to 180°C/350°F (Note 6).
• Form patties: Drop 2 tbsp of batter roughly formed into a patty shape into the oil. I use my hands (as is typical in India!) but you can also use 2 tablespoons (be careful of splash-age). Don't crowd the pot, it will lower the temperature too much.
• Fry pakoras: Fry 2 - 3 minutes until golden. Drain on paper towels. Keep cooked pakoras hot in the oven on a rack set over a tray.
• Serve: Serve pakoras with Coriander Mint Sauce or Minted Yogurt Sauce!

CREAMY CAULIFLOWER PAKORA SOUP

Steps:

• In a Dutch oven over medium-high heat, bring first 14 ingredients to a boil. Cook and stir until vegetables are tender, about 20 minutes. Remove from heat; cool slightly. Process in batches in a blender or food processor until smooth. Adjust consistency as desired with water or additional stock. Sprinkle with fresh cilantro. Serve hot, with lime wedges if desired., Freeze option: Before adding cilantro, freeze cooled soup in freezer containers. To use, partially thaw in refrigerator overnight. Heat through in a saucepan, stirring occasionally; add water if necessary. Sprinkle with cilantro. If desired, serve with lime wedges.

CAULIFLOWER PAKORA FRITTERS WITH CILANTRO

Steps:

• 1. Prepare the chaat masala. Place the cauliflower florets in a bowl and toss with salt and red pepper flakes. Set aside to let the flavors blend. Prepare the basic batter. Mix in the chickpea flour, cilantro, green chile peppers, garam masala, and ajwain seeds. Add the florets to the batter. Heat the oil and fry the florets as per directions in INFORMATION AND SPECIAL TECHNIQUES: __Frying Fritters (Pakorae Talna).2. Let cool, then press each fritter between the palms of your hands to flatten. As you do this, the batter goating will break and reveal parts of the florets. Refry the dense florets in hot oil until the pakoras are lightly browned and crisp, 1 to 2 minutes. Drain on paper towels. Transfer all the fried pakoras to a serving platter, sprinkle the chaat masala on top, and serve.From "1,000 Indian Recipes." Copyright 2002 by Neelam Batra. Used with permission of the publisher, Wiley Publishing, Inc. All Rights Reserved.