Whatever will they celebrate next?

I was quite stunned to read a whole host of pakora tweets on my twitter feed early this morning . Of course , I was a day late because apparently #Pakoda Day was on 30th July. And the call to celebrate Pakodas was made by none other than the renowned food blogger and foodie Rushina Munshaw Ghildiyal.

Pakodas are really the last thing on my mind these days with the non-cooperative behaviour of my household staff driving me up the wall.

Wow Dinga is home in the mornings because his school is having a delayed start. Ms Papaya is just about getting over her jet lag and poor Little Po is home with a mouth full of ulcers.

So naturally with all this going on, its hardly conducive for me to enjoy a steaming hot cup of tea with crisp onion bhajiyas.

For that’s what pakodas are called in my vocabulary. And called by any which name, these tantalising deep fried finger foods remain my all time favourite .

This is partly due to the fact that the pakoda was my first culinary creation at the ripe old age of 14!

Every time I settle down to fry up some bhajiyas, I can hear Miss Samson’s voice intoning –

Finely chop the onions lengthwise. Dip them into a thick paste made of delicately spiced besan and gently drop them in spoonfuls into a karahi of oil. Lower the heat and allow to cook till golden brown. Then remove with a slotted spoon and allow the excess oil to drain off on a paper napkin.

Unfortunately, fried food has come under fire and is no longer a part of my regular diet these days. However, the memories of crisp onion bhajiyas, Palak bhajiyas or even potato bhajiyas make me drool.

Image taken off the net from Veg Recipes of India

Chickpea flour and oil are an irresistible combination. Pakoras can be made of several vegetables such as Bhindi and fat green chilli. Oregano leaves and water spinach are some of my favourite too!

And who says they should be enjoyed with a cup of tea? They go equally well with a beer or a G&T as you bid farewell to the sun on a summer’s day.

Did any of you celebrate #PakodaDay? Pray do share memories of your favourite pakodas.

Ps This is not a Linky party but a reminder to join Shilpa and me next Tuesday !