Pakoda Kuzhampu

This is a special kuzhampu made during special occasions at home. I read this recipe from a magazine and tried it at home. We all liked it, so sharing the recipe here. This recipe looks little complicated, but it is not that hard to make.

Ingredients

To make pakoda
- Chana dal —————- 1/2 cup
- Thoor dal —————- 1/2 cup
- Dry chilies ————— 4
- Fennel seeds ———- 1/2 tsp
- Ginger ———————– a small piece
- Salt to taste
- Enough oil to fry
To make a paste
- Red chilies ————– 3
- Green chilies ———– 2
- Fennel seeds ———- 1/2 tsp
- Poppy seeds ———– 1/2 tsp
- Dalia splits ————– 1/8 cup
- Cashew pieces ——— 5
- Tomato ——————— 3 (diced)
- Onion ———————— 2 (diced)
- Grated coconut ——– 1/8 cup
- Cooking oil ————— 2 tbsp
- Salt to taste
For Tempering
- Fennel seeds ———– 1/4 tsp
- Cinnamon —————– 2 pieces
- Cardamom ————— 2
- Star anise —————– 3
- Cloves ———————– 2
- Bay leaves ————— 1
For garnishing
- Cilantro ——————– few stalks

How To make

First soak the chana dal, thoor dal and dry chilies in water for three hours
Now strain the water from the dals
Grind the dals, ginger piece, dry chilies and little salt into a medium fine paste using a mixer/blender
Heat the oil in a frying pan
Now take the dal paste and make it into small square pieces
Drop the dal paste pieces one by one carefully into the oil and fry them for about 3 minutes
Take them out and keep it aside
Now heat another pan with a table spoon of oil and add all the ingredients listed to make a paste
Sauté them for five to six minutes and turn off the stove
Once it cools down, grind them into a fine paste using a mixer/blender
Now heat the pan with a tablespoon of oil and do the tempering with the ingredients listed for tempering
Then add the fine paste and stir it until it is cooked well (oil starts oozing when cooked well)
Now add water and bring it to boil (quantity of water is depending on the thickness you want for the kulampu/gravy)
Now add the fried pakodas and keep in heat for about three minutes, then turn off the stove and garnish with cilantro
Now the pakoda kulampu is ready to serve