Gujarati Dakor Na Gota and Masala Chai for #ChaiPakodaDay

Dakor na Gota is on the menu

Gujarati Dakor Na Gota and Masala Chai is a combination I had contributed to the Chai Pakoda Day special menu I curated for Soda Bottle Openerwalla last year. It is a combination I recall fondly from my childhood, mostly because they were my father's favourite, and over the years, became part of our family favourites too.

Dakor na Gota are a popular pakoda that are said to have originated in the city of Dakor in Gujarat. Dakor Gota are chickpea flour and semolina pakodas, spiced with chilly, ginger, sesame, cumin, coriander and more - a perfect bite that's hot, sour, salty, and subtly sweet! Usually served with spicy green chutney, they are ideal with a spicy hot masala chai to wash them down!

My foodle of Moti Mummy's Chai Masala

Masala Chai is the preferred tea in most Gujarati homes - a bracing beverage brewed with fresh herbs like lemongrass and mint and some "warming" spices. In our homes, this spice mix is usually made in large quantities and stored alongside the tea leaves and sugar in boxes in the Pantry. Most families have their own favourite blend, but the masala will include some or all of the following: cardamom, cinnamon, ginger, star anise, peppercorn cloves nutmeg and Mace.

For those who want to know more about it, here is a link to my blog post on my Dadi's Chai Masala.

Meanwhile, here are the recipes for the Dakor Na Gota and the Masala Chai you can try on this Chai Pakoda Day.

Dakor Na Gota (Spicy Gram Flour Fritters)

Time: 45 minutes; Serves: 4

Dakor Na Gota

Ingredients

• 1 cup Gram flour (Besan)
• ½ cup Semolina (Rava/Sooji)
• 1 tsp Green chilli-ginger paste
• 1 tsp Cumin seeds
• ½ tsp Turmeric powder
• ½ tsp Garam masala powder
• ½ tsp Red chilli powder
• 1 tsp Fennel seeds (Saunf)
• 1 tsp Coriander seeds
• 1 tbsp Sesame seeds (Til)
• 1 tbsp Whole black peppercorns
• ¼ tsp Sodium bicarbonate
• 1 tsp Sugar
• ½ tsp Limbu na phool (citric acid crystals) or 1 tsp lime juice
• ½ cup Water
• 2 tbsp Coriander leaves, chopped
• Salt to taste
• 3 tbsp Oil + extra for deep-frying

Method

1. Combine all the ingredients except the oil for deep-frying in a mixing bowl with ½ cup of water and make a batter. Allow the batter to stand for 15-20 minutes.
2. Put the oil for deep-frying in a kadhai or wok on medium heat. When hot, reduce the heat to low and stir the batter vigorously.
3. Drop spoonfuls of batter into the hot oil and fry small pakodas on gentle heat so that the insides are cooked well.
4. Drain on kitchen paper and serve hot with chutney.

GUJARATI MASALA CHAI

Time: 10 minutes; Serves: 4

Ingredients

• 2 cups Milk
• 2 cups Water
• 1-2 Lemongrass leaves, cut into segments
• 10-12 Mint leaves
• 4 tsp Sugar or to taste (optional)
• ¼ tsp Chai masala powder or to taste
• 4 Green cardamom pods, pounded
• ½" piece Fresh ginger, coarsely crushed
• 4 tsp Tea leaves

Method

1. Combine the milk with 2 cups of water in a pan deep enough to prevent boiling over.
2. Add the remaining ingredients, except the lea leaves and bring to a boil.
3. Lower the heat and add the tea leaves. Be careful, because when the tea leaves go in, the concoction tends to rise and can overflow.
4. Raise the heat and allow to boil. When it boils and rises, lower the heat, till it settles. Raise the heat and allow to rise again, then reduce the heat and leave on simmer.
5. When the tea rises again, take the pan off the heat.
6. Once it settles, return to heat.
7. When it rises again, switch off the heat, strain into cups and serve.