Paneer Sandwich Pakodas

Everyone must be wondering, why I am posting only pakodas..ya winter and craving will be more for hot spicy pakodas with spicy green chutney..today I am posting one of my favourite pakoda, paneer sandwich pakoda.
Now we all like paneer pakodas and bread pakodas, again also we like paneer sandwich also, So its all in one..paneer, bread, sandwich and pakoda.
Batter is the same as all pakoda batter, that is chickpea flour/besan batter, but the paneer is sandwiched between two bread slices and dipped in batter and deep fried.
Yes...while sandwiching you can add your choice of green and sweet chutneys and sandwich, will taste awesome..but I just plainly sandwiched with bread and paneer, before serving sprinkled chat masala and served with ketchup and green chutney..
It is a good winter evening snack and also a party starter..it is very filling too..serve it with fresh salad to make it a bit healthier...

Ingredients:
Bread Slices White/Brown - 8
Paneer Slices - 4
Besan/Chickpea Flour - 1 cup,
Rice Flour - 1/4 cup,
Salt,
Red Chilly Powder - 2 teaspoons,
Bi Carbonate of Soda - a fat pinch,
Ajwain/Carom seeds/ - 1 teaspoon,
Oil - 2 teaspoons(do not heat),
Water,
Sufficient Oil for frying,
Chat Masala to Sprinkle(optional).
Choice of chutneys or sauces to serve with.

Method:
In a wide bowl, mix chickpea flour, salt, red chilly powder, soda, carom seeds and rice flour.
Add water to the ingredients mixture, little by little to make it a medium consistency smooth batter without lumps.
Batter should not be either too thick or runny.
Add 2 teaspoons of raw oil(not heated) to the batter and mix well.
Meanwhile heat sufficient oil in a frying pan.
Place a paneer slice in between two slices of bread and cut diagonally, to make equal triangle.
Repeat the same with rest of the bread and paneer slices.
Oil should be medium hot.
Dip the sandwiched bread and paneer  slices in the batter, coat the batter well.
Drop this in medium hot oil carefully.
Fry the sandwiched paneer bread slices, until nicely golden brown on both sides.
Sprinkle chat masala on the pakodas when it is warm.
Serve warm with choice of chutneys and sauce.

Aubergine Fritters/Baingan Pakodas

Winter makes craving for  more hot and  fried foods,so what better than aubergine fritters..my all time favourite.  Crisp  outside and soft a and melt in mouth aubergines..love these fritters in this winter with hot cup of masala chai and watching tele..cuddled inside a warm throw and enjoying these fritters with chai and watching a good movie..aahh its lovely..So I will go ahead with the ingredints and method..do make and enjoy it..

Ingredients:
Purple Aubergines- 1 medium cut into roundels soaked in water to stop decoluorisation or getting black.
Besan/Chickpea Flour - 1 cup,
Rice Flour - 1/4 cup,
Bi Carbonate of Soda - a pinch,
Red Chilly Powder - 1 and 1/2 teaspoons,
Salt,
Oil - 1 tablespoon,
Oil to deep fry.

Method:
Sieve Chickpea flour to remove all lumps.
Add rice flour, salt, red chilly powder and soda to the chickpea flour.
Mix the ingredients with water, adding water slowly to make a medium thick batter.
Finally add 1 tablespoon oil to the batter and mix well.
Heat sufficient oil in a frying pan.
Oil should be medium hot, not smoking.
Dip the each roundel in the batter, make sure the roundel  is well coated with the batter and deep fry in medium hot oil, both sides until golden brown.
Repeat with rest of the aubergine roundels. 
According to the size of the rounds frying you can fry 4-5 at a time.
Enjoy with mint coriander chutney or your with your favourite sauce.

Spinach/Paalak Pakodas/Bajji

Spinach/Paalak Bajji/Pakodas are basically deep fried fritters made from dipping the chickpea flour batter with spices, dipped in vegetable of your choice or paneer and deep fried in hot oil.
Perfect for winter evenings with tea or coffee.
In south  India it is called Bajjis and in North of India as pakodas.
Basic batter is same in both of south and north India, it is made of chickpea flour with salt red chilly powder and mixed with water into a medium thick batter. 
Some variations will be in batter by adding rice flour, corn flour and spices like cumin whole/powder, ginger and garlic paste, chaat masala powder and so on.
So it is according to the taste of the individual.
Though not a healthy choice, but a tasty platter for a cold winter evenings with tea and coffee.
Me and my family love bajjis but make it very rarely. As we don't reuse the oil, it will be discarded once used, so not being  a very healthy option and we don't reuse the oil, so I don't make it very often.

Ingredients:
Spinach/Paalak - 15 leaves, medium sized, washed and pat dried,
Besan/Chickpea Flour - 1 cup,
Rice Flour - 1/4 cup,
Bi Carbonate of Soda - a pinch,
Red Chilly Powder - 1 and 1/2 teaspoons,
Salt,
Oil - 1 tablespoon,
Oil to deep fry.

Method:
Sieve Chickpea flour to remove all lumps.
Add rice flour, salt, red chilly powder and soda to the chickpea flour.
Mix the ingredients with water, adding water slowly to make a medium thick batter.
Finally add 1 tablespoon oil to the batter and mix well.
Heat sufficient oil in a frying pan.
Oil should be medium hot, not smoking.
Dip the spinach leaf in the batter, make sure the leaf is well coated with the batter and deep fry in medium hot oil, both sides until golden brown.
Repeat with rest of the leaves. 
According to the size of the frying you can fry 4-5 at a time.
Enjoy with mint coriander chutney or your with your favourite sauce.

Note:
Add raw, cold oil to the batter.
This will make pakodas/bajjis crisp and stays crisp for long.