Ribbon Pakoda/Kerala Pakkavada

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How is the weather in your part of the world? It's getting really cold in Colorado, and with Christmas around the corner, I can easily picture snow-laden pine trees, snowy white sidewalks and lawn. We are not there yet, but easily perceived. The weather paired with a natural liking for fries, I have been doing some serious snacking. I can’t help it ! The evenings make me crave for coffee or tea to keep me warm, and cozy up crunching on something similar to the pakavada I have to share today.

One evening when the actual plan was to make parippu vada, I ended up taking an unexpected detour landing up with pakavada also. I had dal soaked in water for making parippu vada (which by the way is a family favorite). As I started working on it I heard myself humming this old Malayalam tune "parippu vadaaaa pakkuvada.....nammude vayil pada padapada". You know how old tunes can make you nostalgic and make one all excited. I succumbed and the next thing I knew I was working on making pakkavada. I don’t kid you my friends, here is proof ;)

Disclaimer: Keep away from humming tunes while at work you might just end up doing more than you planned for. Except, in cases like mine, you will have an enjoyable evening, but if you repeat this at work you may miss tea time with family.




Best with a cuppa !




Ingredients:

Roasted Rice flour- 1 cup
Besan/Gram flour- 2 cup
Salt- To taste
Red chilli powder- 1 1/2 tsp
Asafoetida- 1/2 tsp
Ghee- 1 1/2 Tbsp
Curry leaves- 1 sprig
Hot water- to make the dough

Method:

1.Take the rice flour in a mixing bowl.Add the hot water and knead it well.
2.Mix the gram flour, salt, chilli powder and asafoetida in another bowl and add this to the rice dough and knead again.Slowly add ghee and more hot water if necessary to make a dough that has the consistency that is little bit looser than chappathi dough.
3.Fill the seva/idiyappam mould with the dough after putting the pakkavada/ribbon pakoda disc in it.
4.Meanwhile heat oil in a deep frying pan.
4.Squeeze the dough through the press into the hot oil to make a big circle.
5.Fry it till the pakkavada turns golden brown.
6.Drain on a paper towel and let cool completely before storing in an airtight container.
7.When you switch off the heat slowly slide in some curry leaves into the hot oil and close the pan with a lid till all the splutters end.Drain them too and mix with the pakkavada.



Contributor: Namitha