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As New Year is arriving and the nip in the air is being felt already, we know it’s time for us to ditch our healthy diets and indulge in goodies. The feast season brings with it soaring cravings for all things warm and delicious. It is that time of the year when no meal of the day is boring. From breakfast to dinner, we crave anything and everything that will provide us comfort along with satiating our palates. However, our cravings in the evening somehow soar up in comparison to the other meals of the day. We all need something irresistibly delicious to compliment a hot cup of chai or coffee.
As Indians, the job of choosing a snack for chai becomes easier with the rich and diverse regional cuisines brimming with decadent delicacies. On our culinary trip today, we’ll be going to the western state of Gujarat. With an assortment of delicious snacks, Gujarati cuisine offers a variety of snacks to indulge in. As winters bring with them a variety of local produce that is brimming with nutrition and taste, Gujarat is no less of a storehouse of these products. One of these decadent products is paunk or ponk. The delight is made with roasted green jowar and is available during the months of November and February. The ingredient is used to make numerous Gujarati winter delicacies. Today, we bring before you yet another Gujarati winter delicacy that is perfect for winter evenings- paunk na vada.
Paunk na vada is a deep-fried Gujarati delicacy made primarily with paunk (a green delight made with roasted bajra grains), yogurt and some basic seasonings. The fritters are best enjoyed with a chutney/dip along with a cup of chai or coffee. The recipe is easy, laborsaving and the dish is moreish and fragrant as well.
To make paunk ka vada, add paunk, besan, green chillies, yogurt, ginger, chopped onions, salt, pepper and red chilli powder. Mix well to combine and make a thick paste. Take a spoonful of the mixture and drop into hot oil and fry till the vadas are crispy and cooked through.
You can serve these vadas with green chutney and chai on the side. Make this on a winter evening and voila!
