Photo: Phadke09 · CC BY-SA 4.0 · Wikimedia Commons

Jammukashmir · Lunch

Nadru Choorma

Traditional 9. Nadru Choorma recipe

🧺 Ingredients

• 300g fresh lotus stems (nadru, 300g)
• 2 cups water (480ml) for cooking lotus
• ¼ tsp salt (1.2g) for cooking water
• ¾ cup gram flour (besan, 90g)
• ¼ cup rice flour (30g)
• ½ tsp red chilli powder (1.5g)
• ½ tsp turmeric powder (1.5g)
• ¼ tsp salt (1.2g)
• ¼ tsp asafoetida (0.5g)
• ½ tsp ginger-chilli paste (2.5g)
• ½ cup water (120ml) for batter
• Oil for deep frying (300ml)
• 2 tbsp ghee (30g)
• 1 medium onion (80g, sliced)
• 2 tbsp tomato puree (30g)
• ¼ cup yogurt (60g)
• 1 cup water (240ml) for gravy
• ½ tsp cumin powder (1g)
• ½ tsp coriander powder (1g)
• ¼ tsp garam masala (0.5g)
• ½ tsp salt (2.5g) for gravy
• 1 tbsp chopped coriander (3g)

👩‍🍳 How to make Nadru Choorma

1. Peel lotus stems carefully (use vegetable peeler)
2. Cut into 2-inch thick round pieces (about 12-15 pieces)
3. Boil 2 cups water with ¼ tsp salt in pan
4. Add lotus pieces, boil 8-10 min until half-cooked and slightly softened but still firm
5. Drain well, pat dry with paper towel
6. Mix besan, rice flour, red chilli, turmeric, salt, asafoetida, ginger-chilli paste
7. Add ½ cup water gradually to form thick batter (consistency: coats spoon, not runny)
8. Heat oil to 350°F (175°C, test with thermometer)
9. Dip each boiled lotus piece in batter, coat fully
10. Carefully slide into hot oil, fry in batches (4-5 pieces at a time)
11. Fry 5-6 min total, turning halfway, until golden-brown and crispy
12. Remove with slotted spoon, drain on paper towel
13. For gravy: Heat 2 tbsp ghee in pan on medium heat
14. Add onions, fry 2-3 min until soft and translucent
15. Add tomato puree, fry 1 min (puree caramelizes)
16. Add cumin powder, coriander powder, garam masala, salt
17. Stir 20 sec until spices are fragrant
18. Add yogurt, stir constantly to avoid curdling, 2 min
19. Add 1 cup water, bring to simmer
20. Gently place fried lotus fritters into gravy
21. Simmer gently 8-10 min without stirring vigorously (fritters are delicate)
22. Stir in chopped coriander
23. Visual cue: Crispy golden-brown lotus fritters in red-orange spiced gravy, lotus interior tender and white with tiny holes visible when broken, gravy coating fritters
24. ---

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