Shiitake Onion Pakora / Tempura Fritters - Part 3 of saving money on party snacks

When I get a file Desire to have a snack With a high mouth feel and a level of tummy satisfaction, I would love to have either Japanese tempura pancakes or Pakora pancakes in the eastern Indian way (link below). But being the foodie that I am now, I often enjoy the hybrid recipes of the world’s multicultural cuisine. I got lucky one day with a nice selection of snacks: shiitake onion “pakora” (pakora/tempura).

It’s easy to make, but it requires a deep fryer and hot oil for best results. (as always, Be careful around hot oil. Limit your distractions.) If you prefer, you can use a Heavy cast iron skillet And fry the patties shallow. However, it will be denser, so you won’t get a light, fluffy, but crunchy texture. But it’s still delicious fried.

ingredients

4 parts bessan (aka chickpea flour, chana flour, or chickpea flour). (You can find chickpea/gram flour in Italian markets, besan/channa in East/West Indian and Pakistani markets. Some large supermarkets will also put it in their international departments. If you can’t find a side, grind dried chickpeas in a coffee/spice grinder.)
1 part tapioca starch or tempura mix (preferred)
Salt + pepper to taste.
Red pepper flakes [optional].
1-2 parts of water. The amount of water will vary. You want to form a dough that is not too runny. It should be able to bind the mushroom and onion filling and stay together in the oil.
1 small onion, cut into thin slices and separated.
4-8 canned shiitake mushrooms, very thinly sliced (If you want more texture, you can also use “wood ear” or “black fungus”. It is available in many Asian markets in dried form. Moisten a few pieces in a bowl of warm water for an hour. Rinse it and then cut it into thin slices.)

to prepare

Mix the dry ingredients well with a spoon or fork.
Slowly add the water until it begins to form a dough, slightly thicker than pancake batter.
Add the chopped onion and shiitake pieces and mix well.
Heat the oil in a safe (heavy) saucepan or deep fryer. (If you are using a cast iron skillet, fry it in about 1/4 inch of oil.)
Carefully put a spoonful of the mixture at a time. Don’t put too many pancakes in each batch, otherwise the oil temperature will drop, causing the pancakes to absorb oil and become greasy.
Fry for 2-3 minutes on one side, then turn the pancakes over with a slotted spoon and fry for 1-2 minutes on the other side. (While the pancakes should be golden brown, keep in mind that chickpea flour is very high in protein, burns easily, and stinks when it does. If possible, try to remove small pieces of loose fried batter once it’s cooked or it will burn. If you are using a deep fryer, this can be a little tricky. It is advisable to fry pancakes in a heavy saucepan if you do not have a suitable deep fryer and you do not want to use a frying pan. The alternative is not to make the mixture too watery. This means that you have to cook the pancakes longer because they will be thicker.)
Drain it on paper napkins (kitchen paper).

Power point

It is served with a mixture of hot and/or sweet sauces, including chutney, sambal oelek (chili paste), sracha (chili pepper paste), plum sauce, sour cream, or onions.

connection: High Protein Chickpea Pakora Pancakes – Part 2 of saving money on party snacks.