Pakoras are a delicious and versatile dish that can be made with a variety of vegetables. They are a popular appetizer or snack in many cultures, and can also be served as a main course. The key to making great pakoras is in the batter, which should be light and crispy. There are many different recipes for pakora batter, each with its own unique flavor. Some popular ingredients include chickpea flour, all-purpose flour, spices, herbs, and yogurt. Once the batter is made, the vegetables are dipped in and then fried until golden brown. Pakoras can be served with a variety of dipping sauces, such as chutney or yogurt sauce.
Let's cook with our recipes!
MIXED VEGETABLE PAKORAS
Nidhi Jalan loves her snacks. The owner of Brooklyn-based Masala Mama calls these deep-fried veggies the "tempura" of Indian food. The spice-infused batter fries up into a puffy and crunchy coating -- fresh cilantro chutney is the perfect dipping sauce. Though pakoras are usually served at tea time, Nidhi also loves them at cocktail hour.
Provided by Food Network Kitchen
Time 40m
Yield 6 servings
Number Of Ingredients 23
Steps:
- For the green chutney: Combine the chilies, cilantro, garlic, ginger, mint, lime juice, sugar, cumin, 2 tablespoons water and 3/4 teaspoon salt in a food processor or blender and blend until smooth. Season to taste with additional salt if needed. Transfer to a serving bowl and set aside. Makes: 3/4 cup.
- For the batter: Combine the chickpea flour, cilantro, ajwain, asafoetida, chili flakes, baking soda, if using, and a heaping tablespoon of salt. Gradually add enough water, while mixing, to form a smooth batter that has the consistency of thin pancake batter, about 2 cups water; it should be thick enough to coat the back of a spoon.
- For the vegetables and frying: Fill a large Dutch oven halfway with oil, attach a deep-fry thermometer and heat over medium-high heat to 340 degrees F. (It is important that the oil be medium hot, if too hot then the pakoras will brown on the outside but the vegetables will be raw on the inside.)
- Toss together the kale and yellow onion in a bowl. Then put the cauliflower/broccoli, red onion and potato into separate bowls. Once the oil is at temperature, add enough of the batter to the bowl of onions to coat. Then drop spoonfuls of the mixture into the hot oil (being careful not to overcrowd) and fry, turning occasionally, until golden brown, 5 to 7 minutes. Use a slotted spoon to remove to a cooling rack set over a baking sheet. Repeat with the remaining batter and vegetables: 5 to 7 minutes for the cauliflower/broccoli florets, 6 to 10 minutes for the potatoes and 5 to 7 minutes for the kale.
- Sprinkle the pakoras with sea salt and serve hot with the green chutney for dipping.
PAKORA (INDIAN VEGETABLE FRITTERS)
Recipe video above. Vegetable fritters can be so bland and uninspiring ... but not in the hands of Indian cooks! Pakoras are a traditional Indian street food made with all sorts of vegetables. I've used onion, potato and caulifloiwer, but see Note 5 for other options. Serve as starter for an Indian menu, light meal or pass around as canapes. They're gluten free and vegan so everybody can enjoy them!Spiciness: Mild. Large chillies are not that spicy, and we are using 2 across lots of pakoras! Feel free to omit/reduce the fresh chilli and chilli powder.No deep fry method - See Note 7 for shallow pan-fried version.
Provided by Nagi
Categories Appetiser Light Meal Starter
Number Of Ingredients 26
Steps:
- Make batter: Place chickpea flour in a bowl with the spices (turmeric, cumin, coriander, fenugreek, chilli). Slow whisk in the water.
- Mix in Vegetables: Add potato, cauliflower, onion, ginger, chilli and coriander. Mix well with a wooden spoon. It should be a thick batter, almost paste-like.
- Preheat oven to 80°C/175°F - to keep cooked pakoras warm. Set a rack over a tray.
- Heat oil: Heat 4cm / 1.5" oil in a large heavy based pot to 180°C/350°F (Note 6).
- Form patties: Drop 2 tbsp of batter roughly formed into a patty shape into the oil. I use my hands (as is typical in India!) but you can also use 2 tablespoons (be careful of splash-age). Don't crowd the pot, it will lower the temperature too much.
- Fry pakoras: Fry 2 - 3 minutes until golden. Drain on paper towels. Keep cooked pakoras hot in the oven on a rack set over a tray.
- Serve: Serve pakoras with Coriander Mint Sauce or Minted Yogurt Sauce!
Nutrition Facts : Calories 64 kcal, Carbohydrate 8 g, Protein 2 g, Fat 3 g, SaturatedFat 1 g, TransFat 1 g, Sodium 155 mg, Fiber 2 g, Sugar 1 g, ServingSize 1 serving
CRISPY VEGETABLE PAKORAS
These are very yummy, and if any of you have ever had Japanese tempura coated veggies, you'll love this recipe. It's similar, yet it is unique in it's taste. Serve with a chili sauce, mint yogurt sauce, or sweet and sour sauce. Try other vegetables for dipping, such as sweet potatoes, broccoli and asparagus.
Provided by veggigoddess
Categories Appetizers and Snacks Spicy
Time 25m
Yield 6
Number Of Ingredients 11
Steps:
- Sift the chickpea flour into a medium bowl. Mix in the coriander, salt, turmeric, chili powder, garam masala and garlic.
- Make a well in the center of the flower. Gradually pour the water into the well and mix to form a thick, smooth batter.
- Over medium high heat in a large, heavy saucepan, heat the oil to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C).
- Coat the cauliflower and onions in the batter and fry them in small batches until golden brown, about 4 to 5 minutes. Drain on paper towels before serving.
Nutrition Facts : Calories 216.5 calories, Carbohydrate 15.9 g, Fat 15.9 g, Fiber 2.6 g, Protein 4.6 g, SaturatedFat 1.9 g, Sodium 406.4 mg, Sugar 4.3 g
PAKORAS - SPICY BATTER-DIPPED FRIED VEGGIES
Shandana, a friend from Pakistan, made these for me while in grad school... and I tried them out on my DD... who loved them as much as I did! You can use any vegetable you like... I tried quiet a few and liked them all! Makes a nice light meal too! (Similar to tempura)
Provided by Impera_Magna
Categories Vegetable
Time 20m
Yield 3-4 serving(s)
Number Of Ingredients 9
Steps:
- Mix all dry ingredients together in bowl.
- Add water and mix until batter is consistency of pancake batter.
- Let batter sit for 10 to 15 minutes while you cut up vegetables (thinly sliced or julienned vegetables: carrots, potato, eggplant, onion, tomato, green pepper, mushrooms, or whatever you'd like to try).
- Dip veggies in batter and fry until browned.
- Also, you can chop up vegetables and mix them into the batter; fry by dropping spoonfuls in hot oil.
VEGETABLE PAKORAS
I like to think of pakoras as the Indian tempura. They're a staple of Indian life, and are the perfect accompaniment to a hot cup of chai or a chilled mug of beer. The superhero ingredient here is Indian chickpea flour. No egg is required to make this batter, so it's perfect for the vegans among you!
Provided by Aarti Sequeira
Time 45m
Yield 6 to 8 servings
Number Of Ingredients 13
Steps:
- Whisk the besan, rice flour, salt, turmeric, ajwain seeds and baking soda together in a large bowl. Add the ginger, lemon juice and enough water (roughly 1/2 cup) to form a batter. (Consistency-wise, it should be slightly thinner than heavy cream.)
- Warm the oil in a heavy-bottomed pot over medium heat until it registers 375 degrees F on a thermometer. Set a cooling rack over a paper-towel lined baking sheet.
- Drop the onions, kale and cauliflower into the batter. Using tongs or your fingers, knock the excess batter off each piece before dropping into the hot oil. Fry in batches, making sure not to overcrowd the pot. Fry smaller, thinner vegetables like the onions and kale for 1 to 2 minutes. Fry the cauliflower for 3 to 4 minutes.
- Remove the pakoras from the hot oil using a spider. Set on the cooling rack, then quickly sprinkle with salt and the ground black lime. Eat hot!
PAKISTANI-STYLE VEGGIE PAKORAS RECIPE BY TASTY
Here's what you need: pomegranate seeds, whole cumin seeds, chickpea flour, black pepper, cayenne pepper, ground coriander, baking powder, salt, full-fat yogurt, water, fresh cilantro, small onions, jalapeñoes, jalapeñoes, yukon gold potatoes, eggplant, oil, mint chutney, tamarind sauce, ketchup
Provided by Alvin Zhou
Categories Appetizers
Yield 4 servings
Number Of Ingredients 20
Steps:
- In a mortar and pestle or a spice grinder, crush the pomegranate and cumin seeds, then transfer to a medium bowl.
- Add the chickpea flour, black pepper, cayenne, coriander, baking powder, and salt, and stir to combine.
- Mix in the yogurt, water, and cilantro, and stir until evenly incorporated. A few lumps are okay. Rest for 15 minutes to let the flour hydrate.
- Heat the oil in a large pot until it reaches 350°F (180°C).
- Mix the onions and sliced jalapeños into the batter.
- Dip the slices of potato, eggplant, and the whole jalapenos into the batter. Try to get the onions and other bits in the batter stuck to the dipped veggies to create more texture.
- Fry the dipped vegetables, making sure not to overcrowd the pot, until deep golden brown, about 3-4 minutes.
- Drain on a wire rack or paper towels, then salt the pakoras while they are still hot.
- Dip in mint chutney, tamarind sauce, and/or ketchup.
- Enjoy!
Nutrition Facts : Calories 424 calories, Carbohydrate 71 grams, Fat 10 grams, Fiber 12 grams, Protein 14 grams, Sugar 16 grams
Tips:
- Use fresh vegetables for the best flavor and texture.
- Cut the vegetables into uniform sizes so that they cook evenly.
- Whisk the batter ingredients together until smooth, but do not overmix.
- Heat the oil to the correct temperature before frying the pakoras. If the oil is not hot enough, the pakoras will absorb too much oil.
- Fry the pakoras in small batches so that they do not overcrowd the pan. This will help them to cook evenly.
- Serve the pakoras hot with your favorite dipping sauce.
Conclusion:
Pakoras are a delicious and versatile appetizer or snack that can be enjoyed by people of all ages. They are easy to make and can be customized to your own taste preferences. With a little practice, you can make perfect pakoras that will impress your friends and family. So next time you are looking for a quick and easy appetizer, give pakoras a try. You won't be disappointed!
Are you curently on diet or you just want to control your food's nutritions, ingredients? We will help you find recipes by cooking method, nutrition, ingredients...
Check it out »
You'll also love