Tea-time snack · serves 4
Jeedipappu Pakodi (Cashew Pakoda)
జీడిపప్పు పకోడీ · काजू पकोड़ा · काजूतक-पकोडा · Jeedipappu Pakodi · Kaju Pakoda
Jeedipappu pakodi is the cashew pakoda that Andhra sweet shops and homes fry for tea time, festivals and guests: whole cashews in a thin, spiced coat of besan and rice flour, fried till crisp. Made without onion, it keeps for days in a jar, so many homes fry a batch for Diwali and Sankranti visitors.
Whole cashews from our Jeedipappu pack stay crunchy inside the coating, and Sannam chilli powder gives a medium heat and a warm red colour. This recipe serves 4.
- Prep10 min
- Cook20 min
- Total35 min
- Serves4
Total includes 5 minutes for the pakodi to cool and crisp.
In short
Toss whole cashews with besan, rice flour, Sannam chilli powder, salt and a spoon of hot oil, sprinkle in just enough water to coat, and deep fry till golden and crisp.
జీడిపప్పుకు శనగపిండి, బియ్యప్పిండి, సన్నం కారం, ఉప్పు, ఒక చెంచా వేడి నూనె కలిపి, కొద్దిగా నీళ్ళు చల్లి, బంగారు రంగు వచ్చేవరకు కరకరలాడేలా వేయించండి. పిండి పలుచగా ఉండకూడదు; జీడిపప్పుకు అంటుకునేంత నీళ్ళు మాత్రమే చల్లండి.
साबुत काजू में बेसन, चावल का आटा, सन्नम मिर्च पाउडर, नमक और एक चम्मच गरम तेल मिलाएँ, थोड़ा पानी छिड़कें और सुनहरा व कुरकुरा होने तक तलें। 1 कप काजू के लिए ½ कप बेसन और 2 बड़े चम्मच चावल का आटा काफ़ी है; घोल पतला न करें।
Ingredients serves 4
For the pakodi
- 1 cup whole cashews about 150 g; split any very large ones in half
- ½ cup besan gram flour, about 50 g
- 2 tbsp rice flour for a crisper coating
- 1 tsp Sannam chilli powder medium heat; add ½ tsp more for a hotter pakodi
- ½ tsp salt or to taste
- 1 tsp ginger-garlic paste
- 2 green chillies finely chopped
- 1 sprig curry leaves leaves torn
- 2 tbsp coriander leaves finely chopped
- a pinch of asafoetida (hing)
- 1 tbsp hot oil taken from the frying oil
- 2–3 tbsp water sprinkled in a little at a time
For frying
- oil for deep frying groundnut oil is the usual choice
Method
- Rinse the cashews and drain them well; a slightly damp surface helps the flour stick.
- Heat the oil for deep frying in a kadai on medium heat.
- Mix the besan, rice flour, chilli powder, salt, ginger-garlic paste and curry leaves. Use a wide bowl, and add the green chillies, coriander leaves and asafoetida at the same time.
- Rub in 1 tbsp hot oil, add the cashews and sprinkle water till the flour just coats them. Spoon the hot oil from the kadai with care and rub it into the flour mix with your fingertips first, then add the cashews and sprinkle the water 1 tbsp at a time, tossing, until the flour clings to every cashew. The mix should look like damp crumbs, not a batter.
- Check the oil: a pinch of the mix dropped in should rise to the top in 2–3 seconds with steady bubbles. If it browns at once, the oil is too hot.
- Drop small clusters into medium-hot oil. Pick up 3–4 coated cashews at a time with your fingers and let them fall loosely into the oil, without crowding the kadai.
- Fry, turning, till golden and crisp, 5–6 minutes; drain on paper. The bubbles around the pakodi get smaller and slow down when they are done.
- Fry the rest in batches the same way, letting the oil come back to heat between batches.
- Let the pakodi rest for 5 minutes on the paper; they crisp up further as they cool. Sprinkle a pinch of salt or chilli powder over the top, if you like.
Tips
- Keep the batter thick and dry, not runny, or the pakodi turns soft.
- Fry on medium heat: cashews brown fast, and on high heat the coating colours before the cashew inside is toasted.
- The spoon of hot oil rubbed into the flour makes the pakodi light and crisp.
- Sannam chilli powder gives a medium heat and a good red colour; use ½ tsp for children.
Variations
- Hotter: replace half the Sannam chilli powder with Teja chilli powder, which is much hotter.
- With onion: add 1 small onion, thinly sliced, with the cashews for a softer, sweeter pakodi, and eat it the same day.
- Mint: add 2 tbsp chopped mint leaves along with the coriander leaves.
Serving
Serve warm with evening tea or filter coffee. They also go into lunch boxes or onto the side of a rice-and-pappu meal.
Storage
Once fully cooled, keep them in an airtight jar at room temperature and eat within 4–5 days. If they soften, warm them in a dry pan on low heat for 2–3 minutes.
Questions
Why did my cashew pakodi turn soft?
Too much water in the flour, or frying on low heat. Keep the mix like damp crumbs and fry on medium heat until the bubbles slow down.
Should I soak cashews before making pakodi?
No soak is needed. A quick rinse is enough to help the flour stick; cashews soaked for long lose some of their crunch.
Can I make cashew pakodi without rice flour?
Yes. Use 2 tbsp more besan, or 1 tbsp cornflour. Rice flour gives the crispest coating, so the pakodi will be a little softer without it.
How long does cashew pakodi stay crisp?
About 4–5 days in an airtight jar, as long as it cools completely before it goes in.
