Pakkavada- Ribbon Pakoda- Kerala Snack Recipe

Pakkavada- Ribbon Pakoda

Pakkavada/ Ribbon pakoda, an old fashioned tea time snack is undeniably good, with everything you like in a snack- crispy and salty. It's just what we crave when we want something to munch watching a favorite movie. This snack is addictive with the right balance of heat and flavor. It is made, with chickpeas flour and rice flour seasoned with a variety of savory spices. Pakkavada is a snack I grew up eating. Back home, my mom stocks up on these types of goodies almost whenever we have guests at home. I love making these in big batches and just keeping them handy. This recipe is easily customizable to taste. This snack tastes just like the store brought ones, and you will be surprised how easy it is to make them at home. So if you want a super simple snack, check this recipe!

Pakkavada is perfect to munch with tea or when hunger pangs kick in. The mild spiciness and flaky, crisp texture make it addictive. The dough of the pakkavada is seasoned, with chilly powder. If you like the kick of black pepper, go ahead and add some black pepper too. But here is a delicious twist, kick it up a notch higher with this flavor of curry leaves, onion, and garlic that add lots of flavor to these crunchy snacks. Enjoy this snack with hot piping tea.

I love the simplicity of these old fashioned snack recipes. You will just need a hand full of pantry staples to whip up a quick snack. Rice flour adds crispiness to the batter. Roasted rice flour is available in Asian stores, the same flour that you use for idiyappam and pathiri. Chilly powder and pepper powder can be added, according to your spice preference. Add a tablespoon of ghee or butter to the dough for flavor and crispness. Asafetida/hing is used in Indian cooking and has a uniquely pungent flavor, and when fried in oil, it can elevate the flavor, of any dish. Well, a little goes a long way! So just a pinch!

Garlic, curry leaves, and shallots add great flavor. It is best to make a fine paste of garlic and shallots. You can also substitute with onion powder, garlic granule, or garlic powder. Adding onion and garlic is optional. If you don't like the flavor, you can skip this step.

Pakkavada- Ribbon Pakoda Recipe

Ingredients
Gram flour/Chick peas flour- 2 cup
Rice flour- 1 cup
Turmeric powder- 1/8 tsp
Kashmiri chilly powder- 2 tsp
Asafetida/Hing- 1/8 tsp
Butter or ghee- 2 tsp
Salt to taste
Curry leaves- a few
Oil for frying- 2 cups

To make a paste
Garlic-3 pods
Shallots- 3-4
Curry leaves- 3-4
Water- 1/2 cup

Make a fine paste of garlic, shallots, and curry leaves. Add half a cup of water and strain the liquid and set aside.

Sift together the roasted rice flour, gram flour/besan into a bowl. Into this add salt, hing, turmeric, and chilly powder and mix well. Add the ghee / melted butter and the strained onion garlic liquid and mix well. Knead it into a smooth, soft dough by adding water little by little. Grease your hand with oil and knead it into a smooth dough. Set aside for 10 minutes.
You will need an idiyappam maker/press to squeeze the dough. Change the disc of idiyappam mould / Seva to the narrow slit disc-like one for pakkavada / ribbon pakoda. Fill the idiyappam press with the dough. Heat oil in a deep frying pan, and when it becomes hot, hold the mold a little above the hot oil squeeze the mold. The strands coming out should fall directly into the hot oil. Do it in a circular motion so that it falls like thin, long ribbons. Fry in medium flame till one side is golden and flip over to the other side and fry till both sides are golden brown, not more than two minutes on either side. Drain into paper towels. Fry in batches. You will need to fry in 6 or 7 batches. Serve with tea.