Kuttu and Singhara pakoras are fritters made with buckwheat and water chestnut flours. Mashed boiled potatoes are used to bind the flours and give them a soft centre to contrast the outer crispness. Kuttu and Singhara flour do not contain gluten and are low on the glycaemic index. Both flours have high nutritional value and help in releasing slow energy when eaten during religious fasts.

Ever since my childhood, I’ve looked forward to the festival of Navratri. As a child I was not aware of the significance of the festival. It was the delicious food prepared by my mother during the festival that was the main appeal. Till date I don’t know why its called fasting. Most dishes are deep fried. Other dishes which include fruit, sabudana and vegetables are tasteful and full of flavour. The dishes I prepare today are mostly what my mother cooks. A few dishes I have learnt from neighbours and the extended family.

In my family we eat the ‘falhar’ or fasting food for the first seven days. On ‘Ahstmi’ or the eighth day, we do the pooja and have Sooji Halwa, Kale Chane and Puris for ‘parsad’.

Kuttu or Buckwheat is not a cereal grain but actually a fruit seed, therefore eaten during religious fasting in India. It is also a suitable substitute for people who are sensitive to wheat or other grains that contain protein glutens.

Diets that contain buckwheat have been linked to lowered risk of developing high cholesterol and high blood pressure. Buckwheat is a good source of magnesium which relaxes blood vessels, improving blood flow and nutrient delivery while lowering blood pressure. The nutrients in buckwheat may also contribute to blood sugar control. Eating foods high in insoluble fiber, such as buckwheat, can help women avoid gallstones. It is also good at drawing out retained water and excess fluid from swollen areas of the body.

Singhara or Water Chestnut is a fruit therefore eaten during religious fasting in India. It can be eaten raw, boiled or as flour, after drying and grinding. Singhara is indigenous to India and used in Ayurveda to cure various diseases.

Singhara is rich in proteins, carbohydrates, vitamin B, C, iron, calcium, magnesium, phosphorus, iodine and contains no fat. It is a natural antioxidant, prevents wrinkles and protects from UV rays. It helps to prevent sugar, ulcer, gout and heart diseases and is used for treating diarrhoea, dysentery, thyroid problem, swelling and bronchitis. It contains iodine, manganese and other minerals that help in proper functioning of thyroid.

All through my childhood and even today, these kuttu and singhara pakoras have been my favourite food during the Navratri festival. My mother would only use the buckwheat flour but I learnt to add the water chestnut flour from my husband’s aunt, as it gave the fritters lightness and made them less dense.

The trick to cook them well, is to fry them on medium heat, so they cook through yet don’t burn. As these flours do not have gluten, we add mashed boiled potatoes to bind them. A little bit of water turns the whole mixture into a sticky wet dough, just enough to be able to form soft balls with the fingers of one hand and drop the balls into the hot oil to fry. The Indian way to drop fritters into the hot oil is to wet the palms, make the dough ball with the tips of the fingers and push the dough ball into the oil by pressing it down with the thumb.

Carom seeds have a similar taste to oregano and smell faintly like thyme. Their addition is to give flavour and also to help digest the fried fritters. If you want to avoid the potatoes, you can substitute grated cottage cheese instead.

During the festival of Navratri, I still make these fritters. They are best eaten hot, though the cold leftovers do not last for too long on the kitchen counter. My daughter loves them and I have even cooked and sent them to her overseas. One does not have to wait for the Navratri festival to come along to cook these fritters, you can cook them at any time.

Kuttu & Singhara Pakora

Buckwheat & Water Chestnut Flour Fritters

Ingredients ~

1 cup kuttu atta/buckwheat flour
1/3 cup singhara atta/water chestnut flour
2 medium potatoes
salt, red chilli powder to taste
¼ tsp ajwain/carom seeds
vegetable oil for frying

Method ~

1. Boil the potatoes, peel and grate them.
2. Mix both the kuttu and the singhara flours.
3. Add the salt, red chilli powder and the ajwain to the flour.
4. With your hand, mix in the grated potatoes. Add just enough water to lighten the mixture and bind it all together.
5. Heat vegetable oil in a wok.
6. Wet your hands and drop small balls of the pakora batter into the hot oil. Reduce the flame to medium and cook the pakoras till crisp on the outside and cooked inside.
7. Can be eaten hot or cold.

~ Serve with Imli Chutney, Indian Raita, Khatte Aaloo ki Sabji, Khatti Arbi ki Sabji.

For more recipes of dishes cooked in my family during the Navratri festival, please read my post, Navratri Vrat Thali.

Most of the recipes are simple and quick to cook, yet are delicious.