Kirla Podi / Bamboo Shoots Fritters

Kirla Podi is an authentic konkani dish from the coastal Karnataka region. Kirla/Kirlu means Bamboo Shoots in Konkani and Podi refers to fritters. You can prepare variety of dishes with fresh bamboo shoots as well as with pickled bamboo shoots. The fresh bamboo shoots will be very crunchy and pickled will become soft as day passes. For pickling bamboo shoots you need to peel off the skin untill you get a hard white coloured inner core. Add a handful of rock salt into a air tight container and mix the slit piece of bamboo shoots. It is also better if you add more rock salt or else bamboo shoots will gradually spoil due to less water content. As time passes you can see salt being melted and bamboo shoots floating in salt water. This way you can preserve bamboo shoots for years together. You need to store this in a dry place. If you are using tender bamboo shoots without pickling then at least three days prior dip it in water and change water every day. Bamboo shoots fritters can be prepared in different ways. I am giving here two verities using rice powder and Gram Flour.

Preparation Time :10 min

Cooking Time      : 20 min

Serves                  : 4

Ingredients ::

English Name For Ingredients	Hindi Names For Ingredients	Quantity
Bamboo Shoots	बाँस के तने	1 Cup
Recipe Type 1 :
Rice Powder	चावल का आटा	1/4 Cup
Red Chilli Powder	लाल मिर्च पाउडर	1 tbsp or as per taste
Oil	तेल	For deep frying
Recipe Type 2:
Gram Flour	बेसन	1/4 Cup
Semolina	सूजी	1 tbsp
Red Chilli Powder	लाल मिर्च पाउडर	1 tbsp
Asafoetida(Optional)	हींग	A pinch
Oil	तेल	For deep frying

Preparation :

1. If you are using pickled bamboo shoots then dip the pieces in plain water overnight. The next day wash it thrice so that most of the saltiness can be removed.
2. You have to crush the pieces gently using stone mortar and place in a bowl.
3. One of the easy method of preparing fritters is by adding rice powder and red chilli powder to gently crushed bamboo shoots. Do not add salt at all as pickled shoots are already salty. Mix it nicely and deep fry them in a medium flame by flipping and cooking evenly all the sides.
4. Remove on to absorbent paper when they are golden brown and crisp.
5. In the same way you can try other recipe by adding gram flour,semolina, red chilly powder and asafoetida instead of rice powder. Other procedure are same.
6. Serve hot fritters as a side dish for rice.