Cheese Pakora

say CHEESE cause these are super eazzzy -cheezzzy pakoras…..

These Cheese Pakoras are the simplest and humblest pakoras you’ll ever make. Just two ingredients and seasoning is all that it requires.

This particular recipe of Cheese Pakora has been in our family’s culinary repertoire for more than three decades. It’s a recipe that traveled along with my father from Goa. Its simplicity must have appealed my Dad!! I remember him telling my Mummy that he has asked the chef how were the pakoras -that he had gotten fond of, made?! The original recipe had maida but my parents tweaked it and introduced whole-wheat flour to it.

My mother has been living with few medical conditions, so the food that was made in our kitchen  had to be simple, fast  and  not very time consuming, because that is what she could not do – spend to much time standing in the kitchen. Outside food, snacks and junk were an absolute no-nos  in our home, we always ate seasonal foods, lots of fruits,  homemade food and fresh food.  Our parents were extremely mindful of what we ate hence, they always experimented with our regular foods,  so as to make the everyday food more appealing for me and my younger brother.  Mummy also did not indulge us with lot of deep fried snacks so when these Cheese Pakoras made its way into our frequently made foods list, I and my brother were of course, more than delighted 🙂 We would badly  miss them when in those days our humble Amul cheese would suddenly disappear from market for a couple of months every year 🙁 It was an annual ritual with Amul Cheese which I have never understood….

These Pakoras have been part of many get togethers, birthday parties,  rain soaked evenings, chilly winter nights when we would have them with a piping hot bowl of soup, they have satiated us and our kids after an exhausting game of favourite sports and quick after school bites. Till this date, these whole -wheat cheese pakoras continue to be ‘always in demand’  with our clan. I hope they bring you the same joy that it has to our family for all these years ..

Enjoy…..

CHEESE PAKORA

an extremely easy to make snack…

• Preparation time -10 minutes
• Cooking time – 5-7 minutes per lot
• Serves -4

Ingredients

• 1 – 1/2 cups whole wheat flour
• 1 cup grated cheese ( I use Amul processed Cheese)
• 1 teaspoon pepper powder
• Salt to taste
• Oil for deep frying

Method

1. In a deep mixing bowl bring to gather flour, cheese, salt and pepper.
2. Add enough water to make pakora batter, should not be very runny but a dahi wada or cake like batter.
3. Allow the batter to soak for 15 minutes.
4. Heat enough oil to deep fry the pakoras.
5. Add a teaspoon of hot oil to the batter, this gives the pakoras a good crust and fluff.
6. As the oil heats give the batter a good whisk or stir vigorously for a minute.
7. Drop teaspoon sized  batter in hot oil.
8. Fry on both the sides till golden brown.
9. Serve piping hot with tomato ketchup or  any spicy dipping sauce.

From me to you

• If you want  add finely chopped garlic-ginger,  chillies, coriander and onions to the batter…
• You can also replace maida with whole-wheat flour or use both flours in equal measures.
• You can increase or decrease the amount of cheese according to your preference.