To make vegetable fritters irresistible … make Pakora!! These are Indian vegetable patties, spiced and fried until golden and crispy. They can be made with virtually any vegetable, so use this pakora recipe as a springboard to do your own variations.
Serve pakora as a starter for an Indian meal, a light meal, or pass them around as canapés at your next gathering. They’re gluten free and vegan so everybody can enjoy them!
Pakora: Indian Vegetable Fritters
This is street food, the Indian way! Sold as snacks on the streets of India and as popular appetisers in Indian restaurants elsewhere, pakora are crispy, bite-size vegetable fritters. They’re loaded with gorgeous Indian spices before being fried until crunchy.
These little nuggets are dangerously easy to eat, the sort of food you just keep popping into your mouth, one after the other, until you suddenly realise the plate is half empty and you look around to find someone to accuse – Who ate all the pakoras??!!!
Ssshhh!!! I will never tell – if you don’t!
What goes in Pakora
Pakoras can be made with almost any vegetable that is suitable for cooking in fritter form. I’ve opted to use onion, potato and cauliflower, but there’s an extensive list below of other vegetables that can be used along with how to chop them.
Chickpea flour – Also known as gram flour and besan, it is made from dried chickpeas and is a staple in Indian and Subcontinental cooking. Nowadays it’s sold at large grocery stores in Australia. The flavour is nutty and it’s denser than normal flour with better nutritional qualities (lower carb and higher in protein);
Fenugreek powder – A common Indian / Subcontinental spice, it oddly enough kind of smells like maple syrup. However it tastes nothing like it, and has a pungent and mysterious flavour. It’s available at stores that carry a decent range of spices. I found it at Harris Farms (Australia). Also, of course, at Indian grocery stores!
Best sub: Garam masala or a generic curry powder. (These are not the same at all, but the extra flavour will compensate);
Chilli powder – This is pure ground chillies, not to be confused with US ‘chili powder’ which is a spice mix.
Substitute: cayenne pepper. Feel free to reduce chilli powder if you’re concerned about spiciness. Start conservatively and cook a test pakora. Taste, and if you want more add more chilli into the batter;
Turmeric powder – Adds a beautifully warm, golden colour to the pakora;
Cumin, coriander and fresh ginger – Staple spices / aromatics in Indian cooking;
Fresh chilli – For their fruity flavour and a little warmth. I’m using large cayenne peppers here which are not that spicy, but rather add a warm hum to the pakoras. Generally the rule is the larger the chilli, the less spicy they are. Feel free to omit or reduce to your taste;
Potatoes – Any all-rounder or starchy potatoes work. AU: Sebago, US: russet, UK: King Edward or Maris Piper. Waxy potatoes will work ok too for this recipe;
Onion – These add great sweet, savoury flavour to the fritters so I really do recommend keeping onions in;
Cauliflower – When finely chopped as called for in this recipe, it adds lovely texture to fritters as well as acting like a sponge that absorbs the spices in the pakora batter; and
Coriander/cilantro – For a nice hint of freshness and colour in the pakoras. However, in this recipe it is not a key flavour so it can be omitted or substituted with finely chopped green onions, parsley or chives.
Other vegetables to use for Pakoras
A nice thing about Pakoras are their versatility. While I’ve used cauliflower, potato and onion, you can use other vegetables, as long as they’re finely chopped or grated. Use 6 cups in total:
Carrots – finely julienned or grated
Broccoli, broccolini – chop finely into rice size
Green beans, asparagus – finely spice or julienne
Zucchini – grate and squeeze out excess liquid
Spinach, cabbage and similar – julienne then grab handfuls and squeeze out excess liquid
Capsicum / bell peppers – finely slice into 2.5cm (1″) pieces
Parsnip, celeriac and other root vegetables – grate like potato
Peas and corn kernels – use as-is
Not recommended (or requires extra prep steps): eggplant, pumpkin, celery, fennel, cucumber, tomatoes
How to make Pakoras
Part 1: Preparing the vegetables
Vegetables for pakoras are typically either finely chopped, grated or julienned so they are suitable to form into little patties and cook quickly. I always ensure that there’s at least one vegetable grated or julienned so you get scraggly bits that stick out and become extra crispy!
Here’s how I prepared the fresh vegetables in these pakoras:
Ginger: Finely minced using a microplane (best for maximum flavour extraction!)
Cauliflower: Finely chopped into rice size pieces, as though preparing to make Cauliflower Rice (which, actually, is a good tip if you want to just buy ready-made – simply use raw cauliflower rice). You can also grate it using a standard box grater. Use a large bowl so the cauliflower bits don’t go everywhere. Otherwise use a food processor!
Potato: Grated using a box grater; and
Onion: Grated using a box grater. Yes, the onion juice squirting out will be torture and will make you cry (unless, like me, you’re protected with contact lenses). But it’s worth it, I promise!
Part 2: Pakora batter and frying
Pakoras are deep fried so you get the signature scraggly sticking out bits that become extra crunchy. However you can cook them like pan-fried fritters (like Zucchini Fritters, Corn Fritters etc) if you prefer not to deep fry. Of course, they won’t be quite the same but they’re still delicious!
Batter: Make the batter by mixing together the chickpea flour and dried spices with water. At this stage, the batter will seem very thick and paste-like but don’t worry. It actually thins out once the vegetables are added because the salt in the batter draws out water from the vegetables which thins the batter slightly;
Add vegetables: Stir through the fresh vegetables;
Finished batter: The batter should be quite thick, thick enough to drop balls of it into oil. If It seems too thin, add more chickpea flour;
Form rough patties: Drop 1 1/2 to 2 tablespoons of batter roughly formed into a patty shape (~ 1.5cm / 0.6″ thick) into the oil. I use my hands (as is typical in India!) but you can also use 2 dessertspoons. I know it sounds counterintuitive, but I feel it’s safer to use my hands because I have more control and there is less risk of the batter accidentally dropping into the oil from a height, causing splashage.
Remember, don’t crowd the pot! It will lower the oil temperature too much. I generally cook 4 at a time at the beginning to get into the groove of the timing, then up to 6 at a time;
Fry 2 – 3 minutes until golden: Fry the pakoras for 2 to 3 minutes until they are a deep golden and crispy on the outside. They will easily cook through inside in this time;
Drain pakora on paper towels and continue cooking the remainder. Keep cooked pakoras warm in a low oven (80°C / 175°F) on a rack set over a tray.
Sauces for Pakora
Pakoras are typically served with a sauce which is fresh and cooling for a delicious contrast to the hot, spiced, fried Pakora.
I’ve got 2 to choose from today:
Green Coriander, Mint and Lime Sauce: Fresh and zesty; or
Minted Yogurt Sauce: Cooling and tangy.
You can’t go wrong with either of these, they both work brilliantly with Pakoras! I really just comes down to personal preference.
When and what to serve with Pakoras
Pakoras are a standard starter you’ll find on the menu of every Indian restaurant here in Australia. So make these as the appetiser for a homemade Indian feast. Browse all Indian recipes here!
In India, Pakora are a common street snack sold by street vendors. In this vein, Pakoras would make a great option to pass around as a canapé. They are the perfect finger food size, and something a little different! Cook up a big batch then just pop them in the oven to crisp up just before serving. Fabulous! – Nagi x
PS. This recipe makes a lot – around 40 pakoras. I figure if we’re going to make them, let’s make it worth our while. Plus, they reheat terrifically in the oven and also freeze well. Once you have made a stash, you’ll be glad you did!
Watch how to make it
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Pakora (Indian Vegetable Fritters)
Ingredients
- 2 1/4 cups chickpea flour (Note 1)
- 1 tsp turmeric powder
- 1 tsp cumin powder
- 1 tsp coriander powder
- 1 tsp fenugreek powder (Note 2)
- 1/2 tsp chilli powder (pure chilli powder, Note 3)
- 2 tsp salt (cooking/kosher salt)
- 3/4 cups + 2 1/2 tbsp water
- 1 1/2 cups onions , grated using standard box grater (~1 1/2 onions)
- 2 cups potato (~1 large), peeled and grated using standard box grater (Note 4)
- 2 1/2 cups cauliflower (~1/4 large head), finely chopped into rice size pieces (or grate)
- 2 large red chillies (cayenne peppers), finely chopped (adjust spiciness to taste, or leave them out)
- 1 tbsp fresh ginger , finely grated
- 2 tbsp coriander/cilantro leaves , finely chopped
For cooking:
- 3 – 4 cups vegetable or canola oil (4cm / 1.5″ depth in pot)
Coriander Mint Sauce for Pakoras (Option 1):
- 2 cups mint leaves
- 1 cup coriander/cilantro leaves
- 1/4 cup eschalot , sliced
- 3 tbsp lime juice
- 1 tsp caster sugar
- 1/2 tsp cumin seeds
- 1/2 tsp cooking/kosher salt
- 2 ice cubes (loosens + keeps sauce green)
Minted Yogurt Sauce (Option 2):
- 1 cup plain yoghurt
- 1/2 cup mint leaves , packed
- 1/4 tsp salt
Instructions
- 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!
Coriander Mint Sauce OR Mint Yogurt Sauce:
- Place ingredients in a small food processor or Nutribullet, or use a stick blender. Blitz until smooth.
Recipe Notes:
1. Chickpea flour – Also known as gram flour, and besan, made from dried chickpeas. Staple in Indian cooking. Nowadays sold at large grocery stores in Australia. Using this instead of flour makes this a naturally gluten free recipe. 2. Fenugreek powder – Staple Indian spice, kind of smells like maple syrup. Available at stores that carry a decent range of spices. I found it at Harris Farms (Australia). Also, of course, at Indian grocery stores! Best sub: Garam Masala or a generic curry powder. (No it’s not the same but the extra flavour will compensate). 3. Chilli Powder – This is pure ground chillies, not to be confused with US Chili Powder which is a spice mix. Sub cayenne pepper. Fee free to reduce chilli powder if you’re concerned about spiciness. You can cook a test one, taste, then add more chilli into the batter. 4. Potatoes – Any all rounder or starchy potatoes work best. Aus: Sebago, US: russet, UK: King Edward/Maris Piper. Waxy potatoes will work ok too. 5. Other Veg: Use 6 cups in total.
- Carrots – finely julienned or grated
- Broccoli, broccolini – chop finely into rice size
- Green beans, asparagus – finely spice or julienne
- Zucchini – grate and squeeze out excess liquid)
- Spinach, cabbage and similar – julienne then grab handfuls and squeeze out excess liquid
- Capsicum/bell peppers (finely slice into 2.5cm/1″ pieces)
- Parsnip, celeriac and other root veg – grate like potato
- Peas and corn – use whole
- Not recommended (or requires extra prep steps) – eggplant, pumpkin, celery, fennel, cucumber, tomatoes
Nutrition Information:
Life of Dozer
Ah Dozer. When you eye off cheesy bread like that, there’s just no doubt that you’re my boy. (Especially when “that cheesy bread” is Croque Monsieur!)
Every one loved it! Even the ones that thought it would be too spicy! Fantastic!
Can you use an air fryer instead of the oven to heat the pakoras after freezing them?
I’m not experienced with air fryers but yes, I expect so!! Try it and let everyone know how it goes, Toby! – Nxx
Can I do these in the oven
Pls pls…
Hi, Can the batter be made ahead for a couple of hours before frying?
I haven’t tried to be honest Kylie, my only concern would be the water from the veggies like Sheeba has mentioned – I’ll need to test this one! N x
I’d love to know the answer to this too. I think the only risk in prepping the batter ahead of time (say a day) is that water from the finely chopped veggies may release and thin out the batter, but you can probably just add more chickpea flour to thicken it up again. Would be curious to hear what Nagi thinks.
I also made the batter ahead and it turned out very crispy. I think what helped was that I squeezed most of the excess liquid out of the veg before I mixed it into the flour mixture. Also doubled the cayenne cause I love heat, along with some kashmiri spice for added color.
Made these today and made the batter up from yesterday and popped in fridge! They turned out amazing and were gone within seconds! I added baking powder just before frying.
Nagi, thanks for another amazing recipe
Oops…just scrolled down and saw the fish has already been identified😉
Looks like a John Dory fish Nagi. (Please tell me I’m right so that I can prove a point to my brother🤣)
Ps Good luck with the renovations.
These were the best pakoras ever! We used the food processor shredder for speed- texture great, taste great, hard to stop eating them 😊
Thanks Nagi, you’re terrific!
I’m so glad you loved them Catherine!! N x
I made these and they were absolutely scrumptious. Taste so much better than store bought any day! There’s plenty of ingredients so my suggestion is to gather everything together first and then prep. Other than prepping which took a little time, the batter came together easily. I ate them with a green salad – Voila! and there was my vegetable quota for the day!
PS Love the picture of Dozer as a puppy in today’s column. What a sweet dog he grew up to be – full of beans!! lol
Hi
Is it possible to make up the batter an hour or two before needing it, let it sit in the bowl, and then use when required?
HEY NAGI MUST SAY EXCELLENT YOU SO GOOD – BEST WISHES GOD BLESS YOU – BIG HUG TO DOZER
I must apricate you for explaining and the recipe of Pakora. Pakora is not an appetizer at all. They are only serve as tea snack or may be with drinks. There are many regional varieties, but basic is same, Bengal gram flour in Hindi is called Beasan. This legume is called Channa and botanical name is “Cicer arietinum” its darker brown in color. After boiling turn darker more towards to black. Thanks for writing about Indian cuisine. Regards, manjitGILL
Thanks Manjit – it’s never too late to learn new things, I really appreciate your input!! N x
Hi Nagi,
Love your recipes and the excellent, thorough explanations.
When you specify eschalots, do you mean French shallots or spring/green onions?
Can you blend cauliflower, potato, onion and ginger in a food processor? To save time on grating each veg individually? Love your work Nagi! <3
Thank you Darryl & Nagi x
Hi Isabella, I find that using a food processor changes the texture too much and prefer to grate by hand. – N x
Isabella, I wouldn’t do that. You would lose all the texture you are looking forcas part of this dish. Part of the attraction of Pakora is the random shapes they take on from the shards of potato or carrot, slivers of onion, little chunks of cauliflower etc all miced together in the batter
Way to return me and my hippie brethren to the Paharganj, Nagi. Making this very soon. It can’t ever taste likes the streets of Delhi, but it may bring back memories.
I think it will be pretty close Christopher – can’t wait to know what you think once you try them!! N x
Very good and just like at Indian restaurant. I love all the varieties and the sauces.
Yes the sauces are a must!! 🙂 N x
What kind of fish? How about the kind you eat? No? One that swims? Lol. Sorry. Just wanted to make you laugh.
You got it Kathy 😉😂 N x
I have been a fan of you and Dozer for many years. I also have made many of your recipes.
Have you seen the series “Our Planet” on Netflix with David Attenborough? It is amazing and eye opening with regard to how mankind is destroying our planet. I’m hoping you will choose sustainable sources of fish for your recipes.
Thank you!
My favourite pakora is paneer pakora. If I want to use this batter, would I need to loosen it up, or would the paneer release enough liquid on its own?
Hi Linda, I’d need to test this to be sure – love to know if you give it a go though!! N
The fish on the picture with Dozer looks like tilapia ,and tilapia is St. Peter fish in biblical time .
So fun!!
Will defo try. I only have dried fenugreek leaves. Would that work?
Im making your chicken adobo today using bone in chick thighs.
Ive been regularly making your low cal creamy veggie soup.
Domo Nagi. Good luck w your move!!
Just bought Zojirushi hotpot pan. Will look on your mom’s site for nabe n sukiyaki😊
Hi Lesley, yes you can sub 1 tbsp of the leaves in place of powder here. I’m so glad you’re loving the recipes and hope you enjoy a great hotpot! N x
Clearly great minds think alike Nagi, lol.
I have Chicken Pakora, a Glaswegian favourite, currently marinating in the fridge for dinner tonight. Living in Upstate NY, it’s in short supply..
Looking forward to trying your veggie recipe – the other recipes I’ve found were more samosas than pakoras.
I hope you try them, I’d love to know what you think Irene! N x
Its a DEAD fish. very interesting recipe will have to try “Good Eating ” Pino
It definitely is! N x