Almond Fritters / Badam Pakora

There is a classic rock song "It never Rains in southern california" from Albert Hammond's famous album, but it was raining today in California... Yippeeee!!  On rainy evening, what we crave - crispy and tempting pakoras with a cup of tea, right?

So today, I prepared Almond pakoras with garama garam chai...

Almond Pakoras are rich in taste, crispy, sizzling and melt in your mouth snacks. These fritters are filling and great snack for kids and all.

Ingredients:

• 1 cup soaked almond (soaked in water for 4-5 hours)
• 2 tablespoon poppy seeds (optional)
• 1/3 cup milk (adjust accordingly)
• 1/4 cup chopped coriander
• 2-3 green chili
• 1" inch ginger piece
• 1/4 cup gram flour (besan, adjust according to batter)
• 1 tablespoon chopped curry leaves 
• 1 teaspoon cumin seed (Jeera)
• 1/4 teaspoon turmeric powder
• 1/2 teaspoon red chili powder
• a big pinch of asafetida
• salt to taste
• Pinch of baking soda
• 1 tablespoon oil for moyan
• Oil for deep frying

Method:

1. Soak Poopy seed in the warm milk for 10-15 minutes.
2. Take soaked almond, green chili, coriander, ginger and soaked poppy seed with milk into a blender jar and grind it into a coarse paste. If needed , add more milk for thick batter consistency.
3. Then take this paste into a bowl, add gram flour, curry leaves, cumin seed, turmeric and chili powder, asafetida and salt.
4. Heat oil in frying pan on medium flame.
5. Add a pinch of baking soda and a tablespoon of hot oil in batter and mix well.
6. Drop a spoonful of batter in frying pan.
7. Fry till golden brown and crispy.
8. They are crispy outside and soft inside.
9. Serve hot with Ketchup / coriander chutney.

Note:

• You can also add chopped onion.
• You can also make these as vegan pakora by simple replacing milk with water.