How to Prepare Ola Pakoda/Ribbon Pakoda

A crispy snack prepared in 10 minutes which is prepared with different flavours like masala or garlic. Whilst its called ola pakoda or ribbon pakoda, the snack is sometimes known as ribbon murukku. Great for parties or just guzzling with a cool lager.

Serves: Good bowl full. Preparation time: 15-20 minutes; Cooking time; 15 minutes.

[1] Masala flavoured ola pakoda

Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup – roasted gram dal
• 2 cups – rice flour
• 1/2 cup – chickpea flour/ground besan/besan flour 
• 1 teaspoon chilli powder
• 1/2 teaspoon turmeric powder
• pinch of asafoetida (hing)
• 2 tablespoon white sesame seeds
• level teaspoon – salt
• 2 tablespoons – sunflower oil or other vegetable oil

Preparation:

1. Add the roasted gram dal to a mill or food processor and blitz to a fine powder.
2. Put the dal into a glass pyrex mixing bowl and add the rice flour, ground besan, chilli powder, turmeric powder, asafoetida (hing), sesame seeds and salt. Mix thoroughly.
3. Add hot vegetable oil with a ladle and mix thoroughly. Take care with hot oil.
4. The mixture should start to form a rough crumb. Use hands to just mix up well. 
5. Add about 3/4 cup of water and start to knead the dough. Keep adding water as needed to just create at first a thick, crumbly dough. Eventually a dough ball is formed which should be smooth and soft – like a bread dough. You may need to add more water as you go along. Don’t overdo of course otherwise the dough mix becomes to watery. It’s probably easier at this point to knead the dough outside the mixing bowl on a surface to which flour has been spread to stop it sticking. 
6. Take a chakli maker and grease it with ghee or vegetable oil. Add a mould used for making ribbons.
7. Roll a portion of dough into a long tube which fits inside the chakli maker.  
8. Heat vegetable oil in a kadai, skillet or frying pan. Make sure the oil is very hot. Take care to avoid burning one’s self.
9. Squeeze the chakli plunger and continuously add a ribbon of dough to the hot oil where it should start frying. It should look like fried tagliatelle in the pan. Keep the heat going. Fry both sides until it is crispy and golden coloured.
10. Remove from the pan and allow the hot oil to drip off through a large sieve before placing on kitchen towel to remove excess oil.
11. Allow to cool until it is suitable for handling.
12. Take the ribbons and break up into 2 -3 inch strips.

[2] Garlic flavoured ola pakoda

Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup – roasted gram dal
• 6 cloves of garlic
• handful  of curry leaves
• 2 cups – rice flour
• 1/2 cup – chickpea flour/ground besan/besan flour
• 1/2 teaspoon white pepper
• pinch of asafoetida (hing)
• 2 tablespoon black sesame seeds
• level teaspoon – salt
• 2 tbsp – butter
• 3/4 cup coconut milk
• 2 tablespoons – sunflower oil or other vegetable oil

Preparation:

1. Add the roasted gram dal, curry leaves and garlic cloves to a mill or food processor and blitz to a fine powder.
2. Put the dal mixture into a glass pyrex mixing bowl and add the rice flour, ground besan, white pepper, asafoetida (hing), black sesame seeds and salt. Mix thoroughly.
3. Add a knob of butter and crumble into the mixture. 
4. Add the coconut milk and knead into a dough. Add water as needed.
5. The mixture should start to form a rough crumb. Use hands to just mix up well. 
6. Add about 3/4 cup of water and start to knead the dough. Keep adding water as needed to just create at first a thick, crumbly dough. Eventually a dough ball is formed which should be smooth and soft – like a bread dough. You may need to add more water as you go along. Don’t overdo of course otherwise the dough mix becomes to watery. It’s probably easier at this point to knead the dough outside the mixing bowl on a surface to which flour has been spread to stop it sticking. 
7. Take a chakli maker and grease it with ghee or vegetable oil. Add a mould used for making ribbons.
8. Roll a portion of dough into a long tube which fits inside the chakli maker.  
9. Heat vegetable oil in a kadai, skillet or frying pan. Make sure the oil is very hot. Take care to avoid burning one’s self.
10. Squeeze the chakli plunger and continuously add a ribbon of dough to the hot oil where it should start frying. It should look like fried tagliatelle in the pan. Keep the heat going. Fry both sides until it is crispy but still pale enough. It shouldn’t turn too brown – it’s a matter of choice here.
11. Remove from the pan and allow the hot oil to drip off through a sieve before placing on kitchen towel to remove excess oil.
12. Allow to cool until it is suitable for handling.
13. Take the ribbons and break up into 2 -3 inch strips.