Pattanam Pakoda - is a popular street side snack, an instant version of Pakoda primarily made combination of flours, onion and spices... typically seen in tea kadai shops.
1tablespoonbutter / vanaspathi / shorteninganything works (at room temperature)
1/4teaspoonbaking soda
1/2cupwater approx
1/4cupOnion (sambar vengayam / pearl onions )1/4 cup roughly sliced
1teaspoongreen chilliminced
1teaspoon gingerminced
1teaspoonred chilli powder
1/4teaspoonasafoetida / perungayam
1/2teaspooncumin seeds
1/2teaspoonfennel seeds
1teaspoonsalt approx , add an extra pinch
1tablespooncoriander leaveschopped
6leavescurry leaveschopped
1cupoilfor deep frying
Instructions
Take butter and baking soda in a bowl and mix well with your hands to make a smooth paste.
Add in the rice flour, gram flour and roasted gram flour along with salt. Rub well to combine them to form a crumbly texture mix.
Assemble all the other ingredients - whatever onion you use, try to slice them thinly. Mince the green chillies, ginger, coriander leaves and curry leaves. Any fat like butter, vanaspati, vegetable shortening, ghee at room temperature works for this recipe. This is keep the outer texture crispy for long and inner texture soft.
Add onion, green chilli, ginger, asafoetida, red chilli powder, cumin seeds, fennel seeds, coriander and curry leaves.
Sprinkle water little by little to combine. Do not mash or press to knead... just combine gently to make a semi soft mixture.
Mean while heat oil in kadai...
Loosely press the dough and shape them into balls or just roughly press to form a dumpling...
Deep fry them in oil over medium flame until he outer crust turns golden brown and crisp. A good dough will yield cracks on the surface of the pakoda... it shouldn't look smooth.
Once done, strain excess oil by placing them on a paper towel.
Serve right away with a cup of tea. This pakoda keeps crisp for few hours so you are good to go!
Notes
Adding pottukadalai maavu is the key to this recipe... which keeps it crisp a little longer. The crust will be crunchy and crisp, dough inside will be soft with rava like texture because of that addition of baking soda. Beating baking soda well with butter will get you the right inside texture...so make a frothy paste with it.