FOUR O CLOCK POP INS

This is a very easy to make tea time snack you can make in a jiffy....I tasted it long time ago at a local restaurant...The waiter told me some name, but I could not recollect it after reaching home.. Having got a vague idea about how they made it,since then I have been making it at home, as a tea time snack after making a few changes in the ingredients..I had to substitute yoghurt for making the batter whereas at the restaurant they use water..I didnt like having onions in them..So added more of ginger and green chillies....As well I had to give it a new name..Hence started fondly calling them 4 O CLOCK POP INS....My children say that they taste like urad vadas.. But when made with plain flour,no soaking or grinding is needed..They are golden N crispy outside and spongy, white N spicy inside .. Remember to use fresh yoghurt that is not too sour.. The ones we get here in the gulf is pudding like and not watery.. That is the ideal choice.. If using very sour curd, reduce its qty and substitute water.But the freshly made or store bought thick yoghurt gives the best results.

INGREDIENTS:-

1)Flour--1 cup

2)Yoghurt--3/4 cup

3)Chopped ginger--1 heaped tblsp

4)Chopped green chillies--2-3

5)Chopped curry leaves--2 sprigs

6)Baking soda--1 pinch

7)Salt--as needed

8)Asafoetida powder--1 pinch

METHOD:-

Sift flour into a bowl.. Put the rest of the ingredients and beat well using a wooden spoon..Do not make it too smooth a batter.. The batter should be elastic type, as you can see in the picture.. You need not beat it for long.. It will take only a minute...Mean while heat oil in a deep frying pan. One in the shape of a wok is ideal.. We are going to deep fry the 'pop ins',not shallow fry..So use enough oil to cover them..Once the oil is really hot take a wet tea spoon, and scoop out a little thick batter .. Using the index finger of the other hand slide it slowly into the hot oil.. If the oil is hot enough you can see it puffing up happily!!:).. Similarly put a few more at a time and use your laddle to toss them in oil so that they get cooked all around ...If the oil starts to smoke reduce the flame immediately...The pop ins should be golden brown all over...Remove them from the oil and drain on absorbent paper.. Do the same with the rest of the batter.. Serve very hot with any chutney of your choice, or as plain.. Here we prefer to eat them as they are, with out any dips.

Have a happy tea time!!!