Author Notes
If you're ever in the mood for a crunchy snack, this vegetable pakora recipe is going to be perfect for you. These savory, crispy golden potato and onion bites are mixed with a variety of spices and coated in gram flour. They're then quickly pan-fried until golden brown.
I can remember my mum cooking pakora all the time. These were a staple for when guests arrived unannounced, which, believe me, happened quite a lot! They take minutes to cook and are lighter than the onion bhajis most people are used to. My son once described them as little aliens as I was scooping them out of the fryer—a pretty accurate description, I must say, as they are crispy and spiky and a mishmash of shapes.
I cook pakora in a number of different ways, either with onions and potatoes (honestly, any kind would work here) or a mixture of vegetables, such as onion, potato, aubergine, and/or cauliflower. You can also make them with just slices of aubergine or potato or even whole chiles. Feel free to experiment and find the best combination for you and your family or friends.
This is the basic pakora recipe I developed, which is a really great place to start. Just remember to season to your taste with as much or as little spice as you like. This recipe calls for 2 chiles and ½ teaspoon of chili powder, but depending on how spicy yours are, adjust the spice level, especially depending on the type of whole chiles you've been able to find. —Hari Ghotra
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Prep time
15 minutes
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Cook time
10 minutes
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Serves
4
Ingredients
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Neutral oil, for frying
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3
medium potatoes, peeled and grated or finely chopped
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1
medium onion, finely chopped
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2
fresh chiles, seeded if desired, finely chopped
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100 grams
gram (chickpea) flour
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1 tablespoon
peeled finely grated ginger
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2 teaspoons
chopped dried fenugreek leaves
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2 teaspoons
garam masala
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1 teaspoon
cumin seeds
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1 teaspoon
ground turmeric
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1 teaspoon
kosher salt
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1/2 teaspoon
red chili powder
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1 handful
chopped coriander
Directions
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Pour the oil into a karahi or wok to a depth of about 1 inch. Heat over medium heat.
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Meanwhile, in a large bowl, toss the onions, potatoes, and chiles. Pat dry with paper towels to remove as much moisture as possible.
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Add the flour, ginger, fenugreek leaves, garam masala, cumin, turmeric, salt, chili powder, and coriander and toss gently to combine. Gradually add a small amount of water and continue to stir to create a thick batter that coats all the vegetables. Squeeze with your fingers to make sure the vegetables are thoroughly coated.
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Test the oil by dropping a little batter into the oil. If it browns and rises immediately, then it's ready. Carefully drop in spoonfuls of the batter into the oil and fry, turning once, for 3 to 5 minutes, until golden brown and crisp.
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Transfer the pakora to paper towels to drain. Serve warm.
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