Who can ever say no to hot, crispy pakodas in rainy weather? But, it must be known that oily, fried snacks are not only harmful to health but can also cause acne and pimple flare-ups.
To help you, here’s a life-saving hack from former MasterChef Pankaj Bhadouria on how to fry less oily pakodas.
When frying pakodas, what must one keep in mind?
*The temperature of the frying oil should be medium hot. Otherwise, the pakoda will burn from the outside and not cook properly on the inside,” she said in the video.
How can one check the temperature of the oil? Insert a skewer and see if bubbles appear. Alternatively, you can slide a tiny piece of the batter first. It should rise and not turn brown too quickly.
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According to Bhadouria, a sure shot hack that works every time is sprinkling salt in the frying oil. “This will ensure that the pakodas absorb less oil,” she said.
Here are some other hacks that are worth a try.
*Traditionally, chickpea flour or besan along with spices and ice water is used to make the batter for pakoda. But adding a bit of rice flour helps make the pakodas light and crispy as they won’t soak as much oil when deep-fried.
*Choose a heavy-bottomed thick pan or kadhai; this will help maintain the frying temperature. You can opt for air fryers, too.
*The oil being used for deep frying should have a high smoke point — like vegetable and peanut oil. Avoid olive oil for deep frying as it has a low smoking point.
*Make sure you chop vegetables into thin slices, this helps keep the pakodas light.
*Another way of making the batter light and airy is to whisk it with a whisk instead of a spoon. Use up the batter within an hour of making it otherwise it can get doughy and slimy.
*Pay attention to the quantity of water you add to the batter. Vegetables tend to leave water when fried.
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