I will be sharing some car snacks or travel snacks that are mess free and easy to handle. Without planning to do it, I ended up making some pakodas, that I always remember getting for our long car drives. These pakodas have always been my favorite snack on road and can munch on endless. I guess it was mostly a seasonal thing. One point of time, it used to be deep fried savory snacks from Adyar Ananda Bhavan or Grand sweets. None of us are fond of sweets, so it mostly used to be savory snacks. Hubby dear used to like the mini Jangiri, it always used to be so juicy that it invariably drips.
Anyway coming to the savory snacks, when I wasn't making it myself, it used to be those butter murukkus, thattais, and cashew pakodas. Remembering those days, I ended up making some pakodas for this edition. While our journeys were mostly by train before my marriage, after marriage and kids, it has only been car journeys. So I always pack a load of snacks to feed the kids, through the journey. I have always planned based on what I would have carried the previous time. Whether the kids ate these pakodas or not, I used to enjoy myself!
Coming to these Medu Pakodas, I was first introduced to it during weddings. Most Tamil wedding would cater these pakodas and used to be the highlight for me. I have never tasted it anywhere else and used to have a tough time, trying to get Amma to understand what I was talking about.
Later when I ate I dissected the recipe myself and understood that the recipe uses more soda than required and also the oil/ghee added would give the required porous texture. Many years later, I saw these being served in a regular snack shop and we even got this for our travel. Trust me I had a field day during the travel.
This is not your typical onion pakoda, which might turn softer over the duration. This does stay crispy and good to eat even after a while. So make these and enjoy! Since these are balls, you don't have to worry about getting your hands messing as well!
Meddu Pakoda
Ingredients Needed:
Besan - 1/2 cup
Rice flour - 1/2 cup
Onions, finely chopped - 1/2 cup
Salt to taste
Red Chili powder - 1/2 tsp
Green chilies - 2 small
Curry leaves handful
Cooking soda - 1/4 tsp
Cashew nuts - handful
Ghee - 1 tsp
Oil for deep frying
How to make Meddu Pakoda
In a bowl, add the flours, salt, finely chopped onions, curry leaves, finely chopped green chilies, red chili powder, mix well.
In another bowl, add the soda and ghee, whisk well. Add this to the flour and mix well. Slowly add water by teaspoon to get a thick dough.
The consistency of the dough is very important as you don't want a dropping batter. Mix well and heat oil for deep frying.
Pinch out small balls as you require and place a cashew piece in the center of the ball and enclose again.
When the oil is hot, drop the balls gently and deep fry.
Once the balls get golden brown on all sides, drain on a kitchen towel.
Notes:
These Meddu Pakodas are normally made as bigger balls of almost 3 - 4 inch balls. The texture is quite porous as soda is always little more. Eating one would suffice.
This stays good over the day.
If you don't add onions and add Ajwain, this snack can be stored for the next day as well.
Since this stays very good when packed, make sure you don't pack it as soon as you fry these. Let them cool down, before packing in an airtight container.
Recipe
Medu Pakoda | Onion Cashew Medu Pakoda
Tried this recipe?Mention @spicingyourlife_ or tag #spicingyourlife_!
Varadas Kitchen says
This vada is completely new to me. It looks so crunchy and must have made a great car snack.
vaishali sabnani says
These vadas sound very interesting. .and new. .will give it a try..may be I will use the air fryer instead of deep frying.
Sandhya Ramakrishnan says
This would make a lovely car snack. Such a different way of making the vadas/pakodas 🙂
Nisha Sundar says
Valli, I had eyes on them when you posted the rice recipe. Such a hearty snack.
Priya Suresh says
My favourite medhu pakoda, makes me nostalgic.. Fabulous car snacks Valli.
sneha datar says
Never tasted Medhu pakoda, want some Valli they are looking delicious and tempting.
Padma Rekha says
one more interesting recipe Valli book marked.
Jayanthi Sindhiya says
Very interesting pakodas...will definitely try these as they are my MIL's favorite 🙂
Pavani N says
Very interesting pakoras. These are new to me.
Manjula Bharath says
wow such an mess free option to take in a car 🙂 medhu pakoda looks very tempting dear !!
Padmajha PJ says
I love traveling by train than any other mode of transport but like you we now travel by car for convenience sake.And these definitely are the best options. This and a cup of coffee under a row of trees will be absolute heaven!!!
Srividhya says
Nice explanation. Me too a big fan of Adyar anadha bhavan and grand sweets fried pakoras. 🙂 Missing those
Chef Mireille says
what a totally unique pakoda
Harini-Jaya R says
Very interesting Pakoda!
veena krishnakumar says
This is so new to me. Looks very interesting!!!