WATERMELON RIND PAKORAS

Prep time: 10 minutes Cooking time: 15 minutes Total time: 25 minutes Servings: 4

INGREDIENTS

● Grated watermelon peel — 150gms

● Gram flour — 1/4cup

● Rice flour or semolina — 1 ½ tbsp

● Ginger-garlic paste — ½ tsp

● Carom seeds — ½ tsp

● Chopped green chillies — 3 nos.

● Chopped curry leaves — 1 tbsp

● Chopped coriander leaves — 1 tbsp

● Chopped mint leaves — 1 tbsp

● Chopped cashews — 8 nos.

● Cumin powder — 1 tsp

● Mango / amchur powder — ½ tsp

● Oil for deep frying

METHOD

● Grate the watermelon rind and squeeze out the water with the help of a muslin cloth.

● Add all the ingredients except the oil and mix well.

● Do not add any water, as the watermelon rind releases enough water for everything to combine.

● Heat oil for deep frying in a kadai.

● Check if the oil is hot enough by sliding in a tiny piece of dough first. If it does not sink down and does not brown too quickly, the temperature is right.

● Regulate the flame to medium high.

● Take small amounts of dough, shape into pakoras with your figures and slide them gently into the hot oil.

● Do not add too many pakoras at a time. They should have enough space to swim around and fry well.

● While frying, stir and if needed flip the pakoras occasionally for even frying until they turn crisp and golden.

● Remove with a perforated ladle onto a tissue paper-lined plate.

● Sprinkle chat masala on the pakoras and serve hot with tomato ketchup or green chutney.

Energy per serving — 456.3k cal, Protein per serving — 19.2gm, Fats per serving — 35.2 gm