Crispy Pagila Podi | Kantola Fries
Pagila podi, also known as Kantola fries, is a crispy seasonal special in the Coastal regions of India (Karnataka - Mangalore, Udupi; Goa; West Bengal; Orissa; etc.) prepared using spiny gourd. These fries are addictive with their unique taste and texture.
Prep Time10 minutes mins
Cook Time20 minutes mins
Total Time30 minutes mins
Course: Appetizer, snacks
Cuisine: Goa, gujarati, madhya pradesh, Mangalore, orissa, Udupi, west bengal
Diet: Vegan
Servings: 4
Calories: 292kcal
- 8 Phagil or Kantola, cut lengthwise or rounds
- 1 cup Rice flour
- ¾ to 1 teaspoon Salt
- ¼ teaspoon Asafoetida or Hing
- 1 to 2 teaspoon Red chile powder
- Water
- Oil for frying
- ⅓ cup Rice flour for coating (traditional method)
- ⅓ cup Sooji rava or Semolina for coating (Rava fry method)
To distinguish between rava fry and traditional podi, I have cut four phagil lengthwise and another four pagila into round slices. You can check the video for pagila podi. 8 Phagil
In a bowl, add rice flour, salt to taste, hing, chile powder, and mix. Now add water little by little and mix to form a smooth medium-thick batter or paste as shown in the pagila podi video. 1 cup Rice flour, ¾ to 1 teaspoon Salt, ¼ teaspoon Asafoetida, 1 to 2 teaspoon Red chile powder, Water
Divide the paste into two equal portions. Coat the pagil chopped lengthwise in one portion of the paste and round slices in the other half of the paste.
Heat oil in a pan on a medium flame for frying.
Oil
For Traditional Pagila Fry: coat each slice of pagila coated in batter in rice flour and drop it in oil. Leave undisturbed for a minute. Flip, and continue to fry on a medium flame for 5 minutes or until it is crispy and golden brown. Keep moving the fries in oil once in a while for even frying.
⅓ cup Rice flour
For Pagila Rava Fry: coat each slice of pagila coated in batter in semolina or suji rava and drop it in oil. Leave undisturbed for a minute. Flip and cook for another 4 to 5 minutes or until it is crispy. Keep moving the pagila pieces in oil for even frying.
⅓ cup Sooji rava
Transfer this to a paper towel to absorb any excess oil. Serve hot and enjoy.
- Do not add too much water while making the paste. Always add in increments. The ratio of water to rice flour may vary depending on the flour's brand, texture, and local weather conditions.
- See that the oil is hot and always cook on medium flame. Do not be in a hurry. In this way, your fries will remain crispy for a longer time.
- You can add more chile powder if you love spicy podis or fritters.
Calories: 292kcal | Carbohydrates: 48g | Protein: 6g | Fat: 8g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 5g | Trans Fat: 0.03g | Sodium: 444mg | Potassium: 59mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 0.1g | Vitamin A: 149IU | Vitamin C: 0.03mg | Calcium: 29mg | Iron: 3mg