Pumpkin flower pakoda

 Pumpkin flowers are bright yellow-orange is color. Male flowers appear much before female flowers with fruit. These flowers have sweet taste and smell like pumpkin. They are rich in vitamin B6 and A. You can add them to salads, or if you really have many, it can be made into stir fry. 

I am getting 1-2 daily and collected them to make these yummy pakoda.

Ingredients:

1. 5-6 pumpkin flowers 

2. 1/2 cup besan

3. 1/2 tbsp jeera

4. 1 tbsp red chili powder 

5. 1/2 tbsp turmeric powder 

6. 1/2 tbsp coriander powder 

7. salt to taste

8. oil for deep frying 

9. water as needed to make batter 

Preperation:

1. Clean the pumpkin flowers by removing the stem and center part of it which will be hard. Be very gentle with handling 

2. In a bowl, mix besan, salt, red chili powder, turmeric powder, coriander powder, jeera and mix well

3. Add little water at a time and make batter of slightly runny consistency like pakoda batter 

4. Heat oil in a deep pan

5. Dip each pumpkin flower in batter and cover it on all sides and drop it in the hot oil 

6. Fry the pakoda till crisp on all sides 

Alternatively you can also shallow fry them on both sides till crisp. They look flatten that way, but taste equally yummy.

Repeat for each flower.

Serve yummy pumpkin flowers pakoda with a hot cup of tea!

Try it as soon you get your hands on these flowers and you will agree how tasty they are!!