Winter Wonderland always calls for........

thats right.... yummy, delish, Chai aur Pakorey (tea and spice-ful fritters)....  :o)

So, I was feeling a little depressed yesterday about things not going quite the way I would have liked them to for the past (more than few) years now... but then I am quite good at making peace with my fate and destiny. Things look hopeful again, but then they have looked hopeful time and again, can't seem to trust even fate nowadays. I went to bed not feeling quite myself last night....

..... and woke up to the most amazing sight... SNOW!!!! PURE VIRGIN WHITE SNOW!!! as the day progressed it turned into a winter wonderland here..... and I was amazed to see how the SNOW put a smile on my face... it not quite like what Mr. SUN does to me, this is different, more like finding your long lost love again, a happy ending.... if there is such a thing!

Needless to say I was home today, so I saw an interesting movie, which you might read about on my movie blog, I say "might", cause I have still not understood the title of the movie or felt it in my gut.

So, as the snow started to come down heavily, my taste buds started tingling for Chai.... but something was missing... ahh yes! bread pakoras.... now bread?? you may ask? Well my Mom always made bread pakoras for me and my brother when the first monsoon rains hit the ground... Ahh geelee mithhi ki khusbooo, (the fragrance of freshly damp or wet earth), kadak elaichee wali Chai, aur garmagaram Pakore (nice strong cardamom tea, and piping hot fritters).

I took my first sip of tea, and mmmmmmmmmm it is yummy, jut the right amount of cardamom and sugar!! and now the pakoras...... mmmmmm.......muaaah, muaaaah, muuuaahhhhh, I'm damn good, I should be a domestic GODDESS I tell you... 

Wanna try it my way? - Serves 2 

You will need - Bread (I like 100% whole wheat bread), about 5 to 6 slices. Hand break each slice into 4 pieces and set aside. 

Next in a small mixing bowl add one (1) cup of Besan (gram flour), 1/4 tsp turmeric, 1/4 tsp red chilli pwd, 1/4 tsp of mint powder (or 5 to 6 fresh mint leaves), 1/2 tsp cumin seeds, 1/2 tsp ajwain seeds (carom seeds), one (1) tsp kasuri methi, one (1) tsp of freshly minced green chillies and ginger, a handful of freshly chopped dhaniya (cilantro... mmmmmm I loooooove cilantro), a few curry leaves (optional), salt to taste.

Lightly roast the curry leaves, kasuri methi, cumin and ajwain seeds, and then in a mortar & pestle, crush them nice and coarse. You could also coarse grind them in a spice grinder... just make sure they are coarse.

Now take a frying pan, and add about 1/3 level of your desired oil in it (I use canola oil), and heat it. The fritters need to be deep fried so add oil accordingly. TIP - use a small frying pan so you use less oil. You maybe able to fry fewer pakoras at a time, but that's OK.

While the oil heats up, add about 3/4 cups water, slowly in parts, and mix all the ingredients, making sure there are no lumps. Now taste the batter.... is it yum????? Of course it is!! You can add more chillies and salt to suit your taste buds.

When the oil is hot, dip each piece of bread in the batter and drop it in the oil slowly. Deep fry till golden brown. Make sure you drain the oil before serving. I like to eat them without any chutney or ketchup but suit yourself!!

Serve Pakoras nice and hot with Cardamom Chai... :o)

ENJOY and make sure you Relish!! cause it's Delish!! right?

:o)