Piyaji is a popular snack and common to Odiya kitchen, it is basically coarsely grounded lentils delicately flavoured with curry leaves, coriander, ginger and onions.
Last weekend we were occupied with house hunting and meeting Rohan’s new teachers at his school. We are looking for a new place to move in soon as possible and the only criteria was it should be closer to my son’s school. Although he enjoys the bus rides and is used to them since last year in Beijing but I thought if I could drop and pick him up it would be an ideal way to see him off.
But unfortunately we couldn’t find any place that suited my needs so tired and weary by lunch time I was exhausted and nothing else entered my mind except for having a delectable lunch. I was too lazy to even think of cooking. When we ladies decide not to light the kitchen, the restaurants come in great rescue and are a great boon to us at times when we call it day off and let our hair loose.
We headed straight to nice buffet lunch and it was superb! My hubby vowed that two wood apples resting for while in our fruit basket would be his dinner and I too seconded his view and for Rohan, an easy egg roll was enough to satisfy him as long as he had his animation characters flashing across the LCD screen.
This was Saturday’s story and Sunday was equally sane, nothing much, just the routine work of cleaning and gearing up for the week ahead. In the afternoon we just took a hop to a park very close to our apartment and it was relaxing and soothing. The pagoda is part of this park and is surrounded by a small lake and is ideal for boating and fishing.
By the time I glimpsed at my watch it was dinner time and something has to be prepared. I had some over soaked channa dal, so this piyaji recipe just popped into my mind. Piyaji is very common to Odia kitchen and is often part of evening tea. I love the taste of dal coarsely grounded and flavoured with curry leaves, coriander, ginger and one of the most dominant of all ingredients is the onion that is how the humble bulb becomes what is called in my local dialect ”PIYAJI”.
HOW TO MAKE ODIA SNACK PIYAJI
Piyaji
- 2 cups Channa dal soaked for 5 to 6 hours
- 1 large onion sliced
- 1 inch ginger grated
- Salt to taste
- Few curry leaves
- 2 to 3 green / Red chilies chopped
- 2 tablespoon fresh coriander chopped
- Oil for deep frying.
Grind the soaked channa dal with no water or use very little water if need to make a coarse paste. Add all the ingredients except oil. Heat oil in a pan, take 2 tbsp of batter and slightly flattened the balls. Deep fry them on a medium fire. Remove and pat them on an absorbent paper to remove excess oil.
Serve hot with coriander chutney.
29 Comments
They look so good, I could munch on those non-stop 🙂
These look so crisp and delicious, and I can think of nothing better to eat right now, with a hot cup of tea!
Hi gal, I am back :))
I jus love this pakora, we called dal vada. Yours look mouth-drooling, and yummy tempting pic !!!
These look perfect,we make something similar called masala vadai’s 🙂
mmm. mouth-watering pakodas. Looks so inviting Shibani! Good luck with your house hunting.
perfect with tea!love the pic..
Tamilian calls Masala Vada! But we add some more masala ingredients, love to have with cuppa of chai, beautiful pictures 🙂
wow! perfect pic!its my all time fav and we call it as aama vadai!
Oh yum, these look absolutely delicious!
loved ur pics and yes i luv these pakoras…cant stop eating them….
nice recipe..lovely picture..tempting me to make it soon!!
How weekends flew by, i never know. I think a lot to cook but time just flew by on weekends some or other extra work. Pokoras look welcoming. Yummmy!
Now that looks totally yum!
Vada looks yummy..in Chennai we call it Masala Vadai….knowing a new name of it is a bonus :)…park pic is cool…gud luck with your house hunting, its so terrible thing to do, I know !
i love piyazi. use to have it in kolkatta as an eve snack. this recipe brings back so many memories.
I love those kind of fritters! Gorgeous pictures as well!
These look perfect and mouthwatering,we make something similar called Masala vadas :))
what will complete this crunchy munchy piyajis is a cup of hot tea to accompany it…..
1….2…3…… eat it fast else will get over soon :)). This is what I can do looking at the pic:(. I wish I cud have eaten them at the spot :).
Hey, these pakodasas looks so yum and tempting.. Loved it..
Tagged u and an award waiting!!
What beautiful photos!! Lovely recipe and looks so tempting & delicious!
Rosie x
I just love them except we made it with besan ..
hugs and smiles
jaya
Gorgeous pics Pearls, love the vadas.
I totally love it!!! Love the photo too!!!
Looks very crunchy and moist on the inside. This would be perfect for me right now. I’m having a hot cuppa tea and its pouring outside.:)
there is a surprise waiting for u chk out my blog http://myluvforfood.blogspot.com/2008/09/its-been-long-time.html
That looks yummmy!!!
nice recipe
This is my first time here..u have a lovely space!!
Happy blogging!
Gorgeous pics… hope you find a beautiful home soon.
Absolutely beautiful photo of the pagoda!