Crispy Vegetable Pakora Recipe
A foolproof, restaurant-style Crispy Vegetable Pakora Recipe — golden, crunchy chickpea-flour fritters packed with onion, potato, cauliflower, and carrot. Perfect for tea-time, parties, or a cozy snack; quick to prep, easy to fry, and stays crisp when reheated. (Estimate: 6 pakoras ≈ 378 kcal).
Ingredients
Vegetables (about 600–700 g / 1.3–1.5 lb total)
- 1 medium onion thinly sliced (≈150 g)
- 1 medium potato peeled and grated (≈200 g) — drain excess moisture lightly
- 1 cup cauliflower florets small pieces (≈120 g)
- 1 small carrot grated or julienned (≈70 g)
- ½ cup spinach or fenugreek leaves roughly chopped (optional)
Batter & seasoning
- 1½ cups chickpea besan flour (≈180 g)
- 2 –3 tbsp rice flour or cornflour for extra crunch
- 1 tsp baking powder optional — makes lighter pakoras
- 1 tsp ground cumin
- 1 tsp ground coriander
- ½ –1 tsp garam masala adjust to taste
- ½ tsp Kashmiri red chili or regular chili powder adjust
- ½ tsp turmeric powder
- 1 tsp salt plus extra for finishing
- 1 –2 green chilies finely chopped (optional)
- 2 tbsp fresh cilantro finely chopped
- 2 –3 tbsp water add gradually — aim for a thick, scoopable batter
- 1 tbsp lemon juice optional
For frying
- Neutral oil with high smoke point vegetable, peanut, or sunflower — about 700 ml in the pan (only a portion will be absorbed)
Instructions
- Prep vegetables: Thinly slice the onion, grate the potato and carrot, chop cauliflower into small florets, and roughly chop spinach (if using). Lightly squeeze any excess moisture from grated potato or watery vegetables.
- Mix dry ingredients: In a large bowl, whisk together chickpea flour, rice/cornflour, baking powder, ground cumin, coriander, garam masala, chili powder, turmeric, and salt.
- Combine veg + seasoning: Add all prepared vegetables, green chilies, and chopped cilantro to the dry mix. Toss so the vegetables are evenly coated. Add lemon juice if using.
- Form the batter: Sprinkle 2–3 tablespoons of water and toss. The mixture should be thick and cling together when pressed — not runny. Add water in small increments until you can shape spoonfuls that hold their shape.
- Heat oil: In a heavy-bottomed pot or deep fryer, pour oil to a depth of ~4–5 cm. Heat to 170–180°C (340–355°F). If you don’t have a thermometer, test by dropping a small pinch of batter — it should sizzle and float up, browning in ~3–4 minutes.
- Fry in batches: Using a tablespoon, drop heaped spoonfuls of batter into hot oil (don’t overcrowd). Fry 3–5 minutes per batch, turning occasionally, until deep golden and crisp. Maintain oil temperature between 165–180°C.
- Drain & season: Remove pakoras with a slotted spoon and drain on a wire rack (preferred) or paper towels. Sprinkle a pinch of salt immediately while hot.
- Serve: Serve hot with mint-coriander chutney, tamarind chutney, or a cooling raita. For parties, serve on a platter with lemon wedges and extra chutney bowls.
Notes
- Batter texture: Aim for a thick, chunky batter that clings to vegetables. Too much water = soggy pakoras.
- Rice/cornflour: Small amount (2–3 tbsp) gives superior crunch — don’t skip it.
- Oil temp: Use a thermometer if possible. Too-cool oil → greasy pakoras; too-hot oil → burnt outside, raw inside.
- Drain on wire rack: Keeps bottom crisp (paper towels trap steam and soften the base).
- Make-ahead: Prep vegetables and dry mix up to several hours ahead; only add water shortly before frying.
- Reheating: Re-crisp in a preheated oven at 200°C (400°F) for 7–10 minutes or in an air-fryer for 3–5 minutes. Avoid microwaving.
- Storage: Store cooled pakoras in an airtight container in the fridge up to 2 days. Texture will soften; re-crisp as above.
- Freezing: Flash-freeze on a tray, then transfer to a bag for up to 1 month. Reheat from frozen in oven/air-fryer.
- Variations: Onion-only (pyaaz pakora), spinach pakora, paneer pakora, cheese-chili pakoras, or use only gluten-free flours (besan + tapioca) for extra crunch. For healthier version, try oven-baked or air-fryer method (results are lighter, not identical to deep-fried).
- Allergies: Naturally gluten-free (if using cornstarch/tapioca or rice flour). Check oil choice for nut allergies (avoid peanut oil if allergic).