Nothing beats crispy Vegetable Pakora! They are a delectable deep-fried Pakistani and Indian appetizer made with sliced vegetables coated in a spicy chickpea flour batter. These easy vegetable fritters are the perfect snack for any occasion.
There is a huge variety of vegetables that can be used to make these pakoras, but my favourite combination is the classic potato and onion.
They both come together to form the crunchiest of fritters! And when infused with all the fragrant South Asian spices, these vegetable pakoras are definitely addictive!
Dip these hot Pakistani fritters in the refreshing green chutney, sweet tamarind chutney or just good ol’ ketchup and enjoy! They can be served as a party food, appetizer or side dish.
Table of Content
What Is A Pakora
A pakora, also known as pakoda or bhaji, is a popular snack in Pakistan and India that is made with vegetables, chicken or fish which is coated in a spiced gram flour batter and then deep-fried until crispy and golden brown.
Pakoras are typically served hot and enjoyed with a tangy tamarind chutney, green raita or ketchup. They are a staple during the month of Ramadan in Pakistani households and commonly available as street food.
Check out my addictive Fish Pakoras here!
Ingredients & Substitutions
- Potato - these vegetable pakoras are quite low-maintenance and you can use any kind of white potato that you have at hand.
- Onion - I prefer the colour and taste of red onions but you can also use yellow onions in this recipe.
- Gram Flour - also known as chickpea flour or besan (in Urdu or Hindi), this protein-rich flour is perfect for a gluten-free dish.
- Rice Flour - is a key ingredient that gives a light and crispy texture to these fritters. You can also use a mixture of all-purpose flour and cornflour (cornstarch) in its place.
- Seasonings - this vegetable pakora recipe uses a combination of all staple South Asian spices like cumin, ground coriander, red chili powder, salt and crushed red chilies. Additionally, dried fenugreek leaves are added for aroma and depth of flavour. If you fancy, you can also switch up with garam masala, black pepper or turmeric powder.
- Green Herbs - fresh coriander (cilantro), mint and green chilies impart so much fresh flavour and spice to these fritters. I’d say all three are a must for Pakistani pakoras.
- Oil - any neutral cooking oil will work for deep-frying!
How To Make Crispy Vegetable Pakoras
- Take off the onion skin and then slice it. Separate each piece.
- Now, finely slice the potatoes too. You can also grate them with a box grater, however, I prefer julienne cutting as it preserves the potato flavour as well as keeps it crunchy.
- In a mixing bowl add the gram flour and rice flour. Then combine all the spices along with mint, fresh coriander and green chilies.
- Make a thick batter with a little water. Make sure the pakora mixture is not runny. It needs to stick to the vegetables later.
- Add the sliced or grated potatoes and onions to the batter. Mix well till everything is coated.
- Using your fingers or a fork, drop a tablespoon of batter into hot oil. Check the oil temperature with a chopstick. Make multiple fritters in a single layer.
- Fry on medium-high heat in the beginning and then later increase the heat to high to crisp up the vegetable fritters and give them a beautiful golden brown colour.
- Remove in a colander and then serve the hot pakoras with chutney.
Expert Tips For Crispy Pakora
- The finer your potato slices, the crunchier the pakoras will be. Cut them in matchsticks. Or for extreme crunch, grate the potatoes but make sure you squeeze all the water. This is a very vital step that ensures the potato pakoras stay crispy.
- Do not use a spoon to put the pakora batter in the pot, as it will flatten them and not give them the flakiness. Use your fingers, fork or tongs.
- Add the potato and onion pakoras to the pot when the oil is medium hot. If too cold, the pakoras will absorb the oil. And if too hot, they will not cook from the inside.
- Fry the vegetable pakoras on medium heat till 90% cooked then increase the heat to high to give a crispier texture and golden brown colour.
- Instead of using paper towels to absorb excess oil, drain the crispy pakoras in a colander. It will keep them from getting soggy.
Variations
- This vegetable pakora recipe is very versatile. You can coat so many other veggies with this same chickpea flour batter. It's a great way to use leftover vegetables in your fridge too! Some great options are spinach leaves, sliced aubergine (eggplant), thinly sliced carrots, bell peppers, cauliflower florets and green beans. Just stay away from veggies with a lot of moisture as they won’t fry well.
- Fish pakora and chicken pakora taste amazing too! I highly recommend adding some carom seeds with fish, it enhances the taste.
- Want something less oily? Try these Smashed Potatoes—no deep frying needed, but still packed with a crispy, crunchy texture and loads of melty cheese!
What To Serve With Pakoras
- Pakoras and chai is a match made in heaven! People in Pakistan love having pakoras during tea time especially on a rainy day. Check out my Masala Chai or Kashmiri Chai!
- These vegetable fritters definitely need a dipping sauce. My Cilantro Mint Chutney, Green Tamarind Chutney, a traditional Pakistani raita or a sweet and tangy Imli Chutney is a great pairing!
FAQs
These crispy fritters do lose their crunch over time especially if left in the fridge. They are best enjoyed fresh in my opinion! You can however make the pakora batter in advance, either just mix the flours and spices and keep in an airtight container for upto a week, or, add the water and green herbs and keep in the fridge for 1-2 days.
It’s hard to have leftovers when the vegetable pakoras are so irresistible. Still if you do, store in an airtight container and reheat preferably in an air fryer or oven to regain some of that crispiness.
Video
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📖 Recipe
Crispy Vegetable Pakora (Pakistani-Style Fritters)
Ingredients
- 1 medium potato thinly sliced
- 1 medium red onion thinly sliced
- 12 fresh mint leaves chopped
- 3 tablespoon fresh coriander chopped
- 2 green chilies chopped
- ½ cup gram flour
- 2 tablespoon rice flour
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon red chili powder
- ½ teaspoon red pepper flakes
- 1 teaspoon dried fenugreek leaves
- ½ teaspoon cumin powder
- ½ teaspoon cumin seeds
- ½ teaspoon coriander powder
- ½ teaspoon coriander seeds
- ½ cup water
- 3 cups cooking oil for deep frying
Instructions
- In a large bowl add gram flour, rice flour, all the seasonings, mint, green chilies and fresh coriander. Make a thick paste-like batter with cold tap water. This batter shouldn't be runny.
- Pouring cooking oil in a big pot. Test the temperature with a wooden spoon or chopstick, if slight bubbles form around it the oil is heated.
- Mix the potato and onions with the spiced batter. The vegetables should not be drowning in the batter but be only slightly coated.
- Use your fingers or a fork to drop around a tablespoon of batter in the oil. Do not use a spoon as it will flatten the pakoras. And don't over crowd the pot as it will bring the temperature of the oil down.
- Fry on medium heat and when cooked increase the heat to crisp up the pakoras in the end. Flip the potato fritters to get an even brown colour on both sides.
- Drain in a colander to remove excess oil.
- Sprinkle some chaat masala if you like and serve hot with your favourite chutney.
Video
Notes
- The finer your potato slices, the crunchier the pakoras will be. Cut them in matchsticks. Or for extreme crunch, grate the potatoes but make sure you squeeze all the water.
- You can do a taste test of the batch before making all the pakoras. When oil is heated, add a small amount of batter and taste when it is properly fried. Adjust seasoning if required.
- Add the fritter batter to the pot when the oil is medium hot. If too cold, the pakoras will absorb the oil. And if too hot, they will not cook from the inside.
- Instead of using paper towels to absorb excess oil, drain the vegetable pakoras in a colander. It will keep them from getting soggy.
- You can use the same batter for dipping eggplant slices, spinach leaves, cauliflower florets or any other vegetable that you fancy.
Nutrition
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