Ulli Vada or Onion Pakoda

Ulli Vada is Kerala's own Onion Fritters and is also known as Onion Pakoda in North India. A really quick and easy crispy snack, perfect for tea time winter evenings!!

Most tea shops or "chaya kada" in Kerala boasts of some of their special tea time snacks like Parippu Vada, Uzhunnu Vada etc...

Ulli Vada is nothing but onion thinly sliced mixed with besan flour, little rice flour (its optional), Kashmiri chilly powder, turmeric powder, and a pinch of asafoitida (kayam). Rice flour gives an extra crisp and besan flour or bengal gram flour is more healthy than all purpose flour, though some do make with all purpose flour instead of besan flour...I prefer to make it with besan flour and be a bit traditional ....A really easy and crispy tea time snack.

So, next time somebody drops in, you know what to make :) or when you cannot decide what to make for kids when they bring in their friends.

Author: Nisa Homey.
Serves: 2-3.

Ingredients:
Onion: 1 large or 2 medum, sliced.
Besan flour: 3 to 4 tbsp or maybe a little more if needed.
Rice flour: 1 tbsp (optional)
Kashmiri Chilly Powder: 1 tsp.
Asafoitida (kayam): A big fat pinch.
Turmeric Powder: A big fat pinch.
Curry Leaves: 1 sprig, chopped.
Soda Powder: A big fat pinch.
Salt: 1/2 tsp or as needed.
Water: As needed, to bind the batter.

Method:
Slice the onions.

Put the sliced onions in a bowl and add in the besan flour and the rest of the ingredients, add little water and mix well with your hand preferably....the consistency is not so watery or not so thick...so add water cautiously.

Heat a heavy bottomed pan with oil. Drop a tsp of each into hot oil....or you can drop in bigger sized ones if you prefer. Deep fry till crispy and golden brown, strain into a paper napkin.