Ingredients: Pumpkin flowers, tablespoons Rice - soaked for at least 30-40 minutes, Dry Red Chilli, cloves Garlic, Green Chilli, pinch Chaat Masala Powder - (optional), teaspoon Cumin seeds (Jeera), pinch Turmeric powder (Haldi), oil - to shallow fry, - as needed, - as needed, Vegetarian diet
Instructions: To prepare Oriya Kakharu Phula Bhaja Recipe (Pumpkin Flower Fritters), firstly soak the rice for 30-40 minutes.Meanwhile, cut out lower part/sepal (which contains a stalk, a bottom and at center a stigma (0.5-1 inch length and yellow in color) of the flower, except the petal.Clean the flowers individually under slow running water and pat dry on a paper napkin. Keep aside.Then grind the soaked rice, garlic, green chili, red chili, cumin seeds in a Blender and make a smooth batter of medium consistency; not very runny though. Add salt, a pinch of turmeric powder and mix well.Heat mustard oil in a nonstick pan/tawa on a medium flame.Now take one flower at a time, dip in batter, shake off excess batter and place on the tawa. Do this step for rest of the flowers.Cook for 2 minutes or till crisp on one side. Then flip and cook the other side by drizzling a little oil.Fry until both sides of the pumpkin flower is crisp.Serve Oriya Kakharu Phula Bhaja Recipe (Pumpkin Flower Fritters) hot with rice and Oriya Style Moong Dalma Recipe or can be sprinkled with chat masala and be served with Masala Chai during evenings.