Pattanam Pakoda Recipe | Medhu Pakoda | Tea Kadai Pakoda

Pattanam Pakoda Recipe/ Tea Kadai Pakoda with step-by-step pics and a short Youtube video. If you like my video, please do SUBSCRIBE to my channel ‘Asmallbite’. It is a deep-fried fritter which is a popular street-side snack mostly sold by local tea shops or sometimes found in small hotels in Tamilnadu. This Medhu Pakoda is a famous street food of Chennai, the yesteryear Madras, though there are so many reasons and theories behind the name Chennai, one notable view is that the name Chennai came from Chennaipattanam. It is called Pattanam or Pattinam pakoda, now, you can clearly understand the reason behind its names, which perfectly fits. This pakoda is not like the regular Onion Pakoda, it has a soft inside and crispy outside with a rough texture. The key secret to getting the right texture is the addition of fried gram flour (pottukadalai Maavu) that we use to make Coconut Chutney. Furthermore, any vegetable fat or butter, ghee, or vanaspati should be properly rubbed with cooking soda until frothy, and use very little water to combine the dough is the biggest secret, to get a perfect irresistible pakoda.

✔ Check my other Vada /Bajji Recipes like

• Mangalore Gole Baje
• Punugulu
• Mirchi / Milagai Bajji
• Cabbage / Muttaikose Vadai
• Mysore /Ulundhu Bonda
• Banana Flower / Vazhaipoo Vadai

Madras Pattinam Pakoda

Pattanam Pakoda Recipe | Medhu Pakoda | Tea Kadai Pakoda

Priya Santhamohan

Pattanam Pakoda Recipe/ Tea Kadai Pakoda is a deep-fried fritter which is a popular street-side snack mostly sold by local tea shops or sometimes found in small hotels in Tamilnadu. This Medhu Pakoda is a famous street food of Chennai.

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Prep Time 10 mins

Cook Time 15 mins

Total Time 25 mins

Course Snack, Street Food

Cuisine South Indian

Servings 15 Pakoda

Calories 215 kcal

Equipment

• Stovetop
• Kadai / Pan

Ingredients

  

• ¼ Cup Besan Flour
• ¼ Cup Fried Gram Flour
• ¼ Cup Rice Flour Link for Homemade Rice flour
• Salt As Required
• ½ tsp Chilli Powder
• 1 tsp Butter Link for Homemade Butter
• 1 Generous Pinch Cooking Soda
• 1 Generous Pinch Hing
• 1 Medium Sized Onion
• 2 Green Chilli
• 1 Small Piece Ginger
• 1 Sprig Curry Leaves
• 1 tbsp Coriander Leaves
• ½ tsp Cumin Seeds
• ½ tsp Fennel Seeds
• 2 to 3 tbsp Water
• Oil For Deep Frying

Instructions

 

• Measure 1/4 cup of besan flour, 1/4 cup of fried gram flour (pottukadalai), 1/4 cup of rice flour, and required salt.

  Note: For fried gram flour, just grind 1/4 cup of the fried gram/pottukadalai and set aside 1/4 cup measure – It is also known as roasted gram, fried gram, etc are the split daliya, the one that we use for coconut chutney.  It is different from besan flour.
• Also, measure 1/2 tsp of chili powder, 1 tsp of butter, 1 generous pinch of cooking soda, and hing.
• Chop 1 medium-sized onion, 2 green chilies, 1 small piece of ginger, 1 sprig of curry leaves, and coriander leaves. Also, set aside 1/2 tsp of cumin and fennel seeds.
• To a small mixing bowl, add the butter and cooking soda.
• Rub well to combine them to form a crumbly texture mix.

  Notes: Other fat like vanaspati, vegetable shortening, ghee at room temperature works for this recipe. It retains the outer texture crispy for long and the inner texture soft, so never skip.
• In a wide bowl, add the besan flour, fried gram flour, rice flour, and required salt.
• Immediately, add the rubbed butter with cooking soda.
• Then, add the chili powder and hing.
• Now, add the chopped onion, green chilies, ginger, curry, and coriander leaves. Furthermore, add the cumin and fennel seeds.
• Just sprinkle 2 to 3 tbsp of water and combine the flour. Do not mash or press to knead,  just combine gently to make a semi-soft mixture.
• Loosely press the dough and shape them into small balls or roughly press to form a dumpling.

  Note: Never hard press the balls, else the texture will be totally spoiled.
• Heat oil in a heavy-bottomed pan.
• To check the oil temperature, just drop a pinch of dough in the oil, if it raises immediately, then it is perfect. Now, drop the balls one by one in the oil carefully.
• Flip it on both sides and fry it on medium flame till crispy. Don’t overcrowd the oil and fry it in batches only.
• Drain it in a kitchen towel.

  Enjoy this Medhu Pakoda with Coriander / Kothamalli Chutney.

Notes

Tips for Tea Kadai Pakoda Recipe

1. Roasted chickpeas/fried gram/pottukadalai/roasted gram is the split daliya, the one that we use for chutneys. It is powdered and used for this Medhu Pakoda, there is no substitute for this.  

2. Addition of pottukadalai maavu is the key to this recipe, it keeps the Tea Kadai Pakoda crisp for a little longer time.

3. Any leavening agents like butter, vanaspati, vegetable shortening or ghee at room temperature works for this recipe. It keeps the outer texture crispy for long and the inner texture soft.

4. Do not skip cooking soda, as it gives a rava like outer crust which will be crispy and soft inside. 

5. Rubbing the cooking soda well with butter properly will get you the right inside texture, so make a frothy paste with it.

6. For a variation, 1/4 cup of finely chopped vegetables like cabbage, carrot, or spinach can be used. Yet, traditionally, it is not used.

7. Adjust chilli powder and green chilies according to your preference.

8. Just add 2 to 3 tbsp of water only for this quantity, do not add all water at once. 

9. Never mash or press the flour to knead,  just combine gently to make a semi-soft mixture.

10. While shaping into balls, loosely press the dough and shape or just roughly press to form a dumpling.

11. Finally, a good dough will yield cracks on the surface of the Pattanam Pakoda Recipe,  it should not look smooth.

Keyword Medhu Pakoda, Patinam Pakodi, Pattanam Pakoda Recipe, Tea Kadai Pakoda

Tea Kadai Pakoda Recipe

Method for Pattanam Pakoda Recipe

1. Measure 1/4 cup of besan flour, 1/4 cup of fried gram flour (pottukadalai), 1/4 cup of rice flour, and required salt.

Note: For fried gram flour, just grind 1/4 cup of the fried gram/pottukadalai and set aside 1/4 cup measure – It is also known as roasted gram, fried gram, etc are the split daliya, the one that we use for coconut chutney.  It is different from besan flour.

2. Also, measure 1/2 tsp of chili powder, 1 tsp of butter, 1 generous pinch of cooking soda, and hing.

3. Chop 1 medium-sized onion, 2 green chilies, 1 small piece of ginger, 1 sprig of curry leaves, and coriander leaves. Also, set aside 1/2 tsp of cumin and fennel seeds.

4. To a small mixing bowl, add the butter and cooking soda.

5. Rub well to combine them to form a crumbly texture mix.

Notes: Other fat like vanaspati, vegetable shortening, ghee at room temperature works for this recipe. It retains the outer texture crispy for long and the inner texture soft, so never skip.

6. In a wide bowl, add the besan flour, fried gram flour, rice flour, and required salt.

7. Immediately, add the rubbed butter with cooking soda.

8. Then, add the chili powder and hing.

9. Now, add the chopped onion, green chilies, ginger, curry, and coriander leaves. Furthermore, add the cumin and fennel seeds.

10. Just sprinkle 2 to 3 tbsp of water and combine the flour. Do not mash or press to knead,  just combine gently to make a semi-soft mixture.

11. Loosely press the dough and shape them into small balls or roughly press to form a dumpling. 

Note: Never hard press the balls, else the texture will be totally spoiled.

12. Heat oil in a heavy-bottomed pan.

To check the oil temperature, just drop a pinch of dough in the oil, if it raises immediately, then it is perfect. Now, drop the balls one by one in the oil carefully.

13. Flip it on both sides and fry it on medium flame till crispy. Don’t overcrowd the oil and fry it in batches only.

14. Drain it in a kitchen towel.

Enjoy this Medhu Pakoda with Coriander / Kothamalli Chutney.

Medhu Pakoda Recipe