True life incident :

Person A (in his late teens) goes to his college farewell party and starts off with parathas. No one seems to take any notice of him for sometime. After a while, there is a buzz around where he is sitting. Why? Cos he is at his 17th or 18th paratha!! Not an easy feat. His friends recognize the ‘talent’ and respectfully bow in front of him. Soon after Person A finishes his dinner, his friends inquire about the secret behind his bottomless pit of a stomach. And you know Person A’s reply?? “Me? I am nothing. You should watch my big brother eat!! I don’t come anywhere close by”!!!!!!

Person A and his big brother, both of whom I am very closely related to, LOVE Gujarati food. So you can imagine the terror when they go to a Gujarati restaurant for Thali(Unlimited Meals). I have seen the wonder, and after sometime resentment, and after some more time terror, in the faces of waiters serving the thali.

Anyway, all that was long back. Now, both of them, in their late twenties and early thirties, can hardly finish four chappathis at a time. But every time I pass by a Gujarati restaurant, these things flash by my mind :).

Here is the recipe for Kadhi Pakoda (my version), which they serve in almost all Gujarati thalis.

Pakoda Ingredients:

Bengal gram flour (Besan/Kadala Mavu) : 1/2 cup

Onion : 1, finely chopped

Chilli powder : 1/2 tsp

Salt : to taste

Water, for preparing the batter

Oil : to deep fry

Method:

1. Mix everything, except the oil for frying, together.
2. Add water, little by little, to prepare a thick batter.
3. Heat oil. Once the oil is hot, drop teaspoonfuls of the prepared batter.
4. Deep fry and keep aside on a napkin.

Kadhi Ingredients:

Sour curd : 2 cups

Water : 2 cups

Bengal gram flour (Besan/Kadala Mavu) : 1 1/2 tbsp, heaped

Turmeric powder : 1/4 tsp

Chilli powder : 1/2 tsp

Asafetida powder : a pinch

Ginger : 1 ‘ piece, chopped fine

Garlic : 4 to 5 pods, chopped fine

Green chillies  : 1 or 2, very finely chopped

Curry leaves : a few

Method:

1. Mix everything (except curry leaves) together nicely. There shouldn’t be any lumps in the batter.
2. Heat this in low flame for about 15 minutes, stirring in between, till the gravy thickens. The Kadhi shouldn’t boil.
3. Drop the pakodas in the Kadi and cook for a minute or two.
4. Add curry leaves and remove from heat.
5. You can season this with cumin seeds and fenugreek seeds, if you wish to.