Aloo Paneer Bread Pakoda

Ingredients

• 2 medium potatoes, boiled, peeled and mashed
• 200 grams cottage cheese (paneer), cut into 2 thick slices
• 4 white bread slices
• 1 tablespoon oil + for deep frying
• 1 teaspoon mustard seeds
• A pinch of asafoetida (hing)
• 1½ tablespoons crushed ginger-garlic-green chilli  
• 5-6 curry leaves
• ½ teaspoon turmeric powder
• Salt to taste
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh coriander leaves
• Tomato ketchup to serve
• Batter
• 1¼ cups gram flour (besan)
• ¼ teaspoon turmeric powder
• ¼ teaspoon red chilli powder
• Salt to taste
• ¼ teaspoon asafoetida (hing)
• A pinch of baking soda

Method

1. Heat 1 tbsp oil in a non-stick pan, add mustard seeds and let them splutter.
2. Add asafoetida and crushed ginger-garlic-green chilli, mix and sauté for 1 minute. Add curry leaves, mix and saute for a few seconds.
3. Add turmeric powder and potatoes and mix well. Add salt and coriander leaves and mix well.
4. Take the pan off the heat and transfer the mixture into a bowl. Set aside to cool slightly.
5. To make the batter, take gram flour in a large bowl. Add turmeric powder, red chilli powder, salt, asafoetida, baking soda and ¾ cup water and whisk till a smooth batter is formed.
6. Evenly apply a portion of the potato mixture on top of 2 bread slices, place a cottage cheese slice over them. Place the remaining bread slices on top to make a sandwich.
7. Cut each sandwich into 4 triangles.
8. Heat sufficient oil in a kadai.
9. Dip each triangle in the batter ensuring it is well coated. Gently slide a few of these at a time into hot oil and deep-fry till golden brown and crisp. Drain on absorbent paper.
10. Arrange them on a serving platter and serve hot with tomato ketchup.