Tuna Pakoda
These Sri Lankan cuisine-inspired crunchy tuna pakodas (or fish fritters) are the perfect monsoon snack, game snack, evening snack or even party appetizers.
Pipping hot pakodas go hand-in-hand with the monsoon for us Indians. It’s a mood… the sizzle of those frying pakodas as the chai bubbles with the pitter-patter of raindrops as a pleasant background score. But not this time. Because the monsoon this year is more unpredictable than my PMS mood swings. So when the cravings hit with a vengeance, I embraced them.
The tuna pakoda is an ode to my in-another-lifetime trip to Sri Lanka on a day when my travel partner and I were the only ones on a property. When the munchies hit after a particularly tiring day of exploring, the hotel staff whipped up delectable fish pakodas for me. Of course, those were other-worldly amazing with the local spices and fish, but what I distinctly remember is the liberal use of curry leaves. So the tuna pakoda does just that! Plus, it’s a quick snack and an easier way to make fish pakodas – no cooking fish, deboning, etc. etc. etc.
You can read all about that memorable trip on That Week in Sri Lanka. And if you want to master some quick snacks, try the Banana Fritters, the Bengali-style Devilled Eggs or the Nimki.
QUICK NOTES FOR THE TUNA PAKODAS
- I used Tuna in Sunflower Oil, hence just ½ tablespoon of oil to cook the tuna. Adjust the oil depending on the type of tuna you use.
- Fresh curry leaves always taste better, but dried curry leaves also work.
- Squeeze in some fresh lemon juice for that extra tang.
- Throw in some extra green chilli if you want to up the spice level.
