The monsoons are here and how! Call it a Bollywood fixation or just the pleasant nip in the air, but this change in weather has fuelled our cravings for piping hot pakodas. Pakodas are deep-fried Indian fritters often paired with chutney and a cup of hot chai. Crunchy and crisp, pakodas are usually very easy to prepare. You can dip any veggie of your choice, in a flour batter and deep fry them into scrumptious pakodas. For the longest time, we have associated rains with pyaaz or aloo pakodas, but no one ever said that pakodas need to be only vegetarian. You can always dunk the meat of your choice in a flour batter and enjoy succulent meat pakodas at your disposal.
(Also Read: The Quintessential Snacks of Monsoon: Stuffed Mirchi Pakodas)
Indians share a delicious love affair with chicken. Sneak them in parathas, sandwiches, soups, kebabs, burgers, rice and noodles, this versatile meat would just never disappoint. Yet, if you are willing to explore and experiment, you can always find new ways to make most of chicken. Take for instance this chicken pakoda recipe by Chef Aruna Kirpal. These pakodas are an ideal way to use left-over boneless chicken. Yes you heard us; you need not use all left-over chicken at your house for curries, you can save some to prepare delish snacks too. You can also cook these pakodas for the next party you are hosting at your place. Crispy on the outside and soft inside, this chicken pakoda is a hit among both kids and adults, alike.
(Also Read: Khandani Pakode Wala: The 55-Year Old Pakoda Joint in South Delhi Serving 15 Varieties of Pakodas)
The best part about the snack is that you do not even need any exotic ingredients to make it at home. Marinade the chicken in a rustic mix of ginger, garlic, red chilli powder, garam masala, coriander powder and lemon juice. For the batter, you would need egg, gram flour, refined flour, lemon juice, red chilli powder and garam masala. If you think, you cannot fathom so much heat, you can always bring down the amount of red chilli powder.
(Also Read: Healthy Monsoon Diet: 3 Immunity-Boosting Soup Recipes To Keep Handy)
These nippy evenings call for something greasy, spicy and super-hot! So treat your family with these wholesome chicken pakodas and take them by surprise. Here's a pro tip, these pakodas make a divine pair with mint chutney; however, you can also team them with regular tomato ketchup of tamarind chutney. Try making these pakodas at home and let us know how you like it!