5 Tasty Pakora Recipes to Make at Home

The humble pakora is one which has a number of variations and is a popular snack within Indian cuisine.

It may look simple, but every type is full of flavour and texture. The light, crispy batter surrounds the soft filling.

The combination makes for a delicious snack. It is no wonder that people queue for pakoras at street food vendors.

Traditionally, pakoras are made using vegetables. However, people want to try new things and are experimenting with food. As a result, there are a number of varieties.

From fish pakoras to even paneer ones, the possibilities are limitless but they all offer something new to pakora lovers.

They are relatively simple to make and we have five tasty recipes for you to make at home. Feel free to modify some of the ingredients to your own taste preferences.

Potato & Onion Pakora

While there are endless variations in terms of the types of pakora that you can make, the potato and onion variation seems to be a classic combination.

Both vegetables are mixed with various spices which are then deep-fried in a light, crispy batter. Each mouthful is a burst of flavour.

It is a perfect appetiser to have before a meal. Eat it with a chutney of your choice.

The sweetness of the chutney offsets the spice of the pakoras which makes for a delicious combination of flavours.

Ingredients

• 100g gram flour
• 1 Medium onion
• 3 Medium potatoes
• 2 Chillies, finely chopped
• 2 tsp garam masala
• 1 tsp turmeric
• 1 tbsp ginger, grated
• 2 tsp dried fenugreek leaves
• 1 tsp cumin seeds
• 1 tsp salt
• ½ tsp red chilli powder
• Water
• A handful of coriander, chopped
• Oil

Method

1. Heat up the oil in a wok on medium heat.
2. Meanwhile, slice the onions very thinly and place in a bowl. Peel and finely chop the potatoes into the same bowl.
3. Sprinkle the dry spices into the bowl. Add the coriander, chillies and ginger into the bowl and sieve in the gram flour. Mix well using your hands.
4. Add a little water at a time to the mixture to create a thick batter. Ensure that all the vegetables are coated. Don’t leave the batter and vegetable mixture for too long before cooking.
5. Drop a little batter into the boil to test the heat. If it browns and rises straight away then it is ready. Carefully drop in spoonfuls of the mixture and fry until golden brown.
6. Use a slotted spoon to move the pakora around. Once crispy and golden brown, remove from the oil and leave to drain on kitchen paper.

This recipe was inspired by Hari Ghotra.

Fish Pakora

This is one pakora type which has a whole depth of texture. Tender pieces of fish are coated in a thick spicy batter and then deep-fried.

The result is a crispy, delicious snack that goes beautifully well with any dip of your choice.

It is best that you use pieces of white fish fillet as the light batter will complement it much better.

Ingredients

• 500g white fish fillet, cut into chunks
• 2 tbsp gram flour
• 2 tbsp plain flour
• 2 tbsp cornflour
• ½ tsp baking powder
• 1 tsp paprika
• 2 Green chillies, finely chopped
• 2 tsp ginger-garlic paste
• 1 tsp chilli powder
• ½ tsp turmeric
• ½ tsp cumin powder
• 3 tbsp coriander leaves, finely chopped
• ¼ tsp black pepper
• 1 tsp lemon juice
• Salt, to taste
• 4 tbsp water
• Oil, for frying

Method

1. Clean and pat dry the fish pieces and set aside. Meanwhile, mix all the ingredients together in a bowl except the oil.
2. Slowly add the water to form a very thick batter. Add the fish pieces in and gently mix until each piece is completely coated with the batter.
3. Cover with cling film and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes or overnight.
4. Heat oil in a deep pan and then slowly add the fish without overcrowding the pan. Fry for five minutes until golden.
5. Remove from the pan and leave to drain on kitchen paper. Serve with lemon slices and a dip of your choice.

This recipe was inspired by Fauzia’s Kitchen.

Chicken Pakora

While pakoras are usually made using vegetables, one with chicken just elevates it. The light, crisp batter coats the wonderfully moist and soft chicken.

It makes for a perfect snack or appetiser to have on any day of the week.

The delicious batter combines spice with a slight tanginess from the lemon juice which adds a whole new depth of flavour to the snack.

A burst of flavour erupts every time you take a bite of the chicken pakora.

Ingredients

• 250g chicken, cut into thin strips or cubes
• 250g onions, sliced and layers separated
• 2 Green chillies, chopped
• 15 Curry leaves washed and chopped
• 5 tbsp chickpea flour
• 1 tbsp corn flour
• 1 tsp ginger-garlic paste
• 1 tbsp lemon juice
• ½ tsp red chilli powder
• ¼ tsp garam masala
• A pinch of turmeric
• Salt, to taste
• Oil, for frying

Method

1. Mix the chicken with the onions, curry leaves, ginger-garlic paste, green chillies, red chilli powder, garam masala, turmeric, lemon juice and salt. Set aside for 30 minutes. Meanwhile, heat the oil in a deep pan.
2. Mix both flours together in a bowl and add a little water to form a thick batter.
3. Add the chicken and onions into the batter and mix until they are thoroughly coated.
4. Test the oil by dropping a little batter and checking if it immediately sizzles.
5. Grab a small handful of the chicken and onion mix and drop into the oil. Fry until golden brown and keep stirring.
6. Once done, remove from the oil and leave to dry on kitchen paper.
7. When all the pakoras have been fried, refry in batches for two minutes to make them extra crispy.
8. Remove from the oil, leave to drain on kitchen paper and enjoy.

This recipe was inspired by Indian Healthy Recipes.

Paneer Pakora

If you want a pakora that melts in your mouth, look no further than a paneer pakora.

The wide variety of spices create a flavourful batter that surrounds the paneer.

As you get through the slight crunch from the batter, you are met with the soft, melting cheese.

The mild flavour of the paneer is ideal with the multitude of flavours from the batter.

Have your choice of chutney to go with paneer pakora for even more flavour. This is a great vegetarian pakora option to go for.

Ingredients

• 1½ cups paneer cubes
• ½ tsp chilli powder
• ½ tsp garam masala
• ½ tsp coriander-cumin seeds, powdered
• ¼ tsp carom seeds
• ¼ tsp turmeric powder
• ½ tsp dried mango powder
• ½ tsp chaat masala
• Salt, to taste
• Oil, for deep frying

For the Batter

• 1 cup gram flour
• ¼ tsp turmeric
• ½ tsp chilli powder
• 2 pinches of asafoetida
• 2 tbsp coriander leaves, chopped
• A pinch of baking soda
• 1 tbsp hot oil
• Salt, to taste

Method

1. In a bowl, mix the chilli powder, garam masala, coriander-cumin powder, carom seeds, turmeric, dried mango powder, chaat masala and salt to form a spice powder. Set to one side.
2. Meanwhile, to make the batter, combine all the ingredients with half a cup of water in a large bowl. Mix well then set aside.
3. Add the paneer to the dry masala and toss gently until the paneer is well coated.
4. Heat the oil in a deep wok, dip each paneer cube in the batter and deep-fry on a medium flame until they become golden-brown all over. Ensure that the wok is not overcrowded.
5. Once done, remove from the wok and drain on kitchen paper.
6. Serve with a chutney of your choice.

This recipe was adapted from Tarla Dalal.

Spinach Pakora

Spinach pakora is unlike any other when it comes to types of pakora and it’s taste.

While most pakoras are crispy on the outside and soft on the inside, there is a slight crunch throughout the whole of a spinach pakora.

The earthy, slight smokiness of the roasted coriander seeds goes well against the spicy red chilli powder.

You can eat it with chutney if you prefer but to experience the full flavour of the spinach pakoras, eat it on its own.

Ingredients

• 3 Bunches of spinach, finely chopped
• 1 Medium onion, finely sliced
• ½ tsp rice flour
• 6 tbsp gram flour
• 1 tsp red chilli powder
• ¼ tsp turmeric
• ¼ tsp roasted coriander seeds, powdered
• ¼ tsp carom seeds
• 1 tsp oil
• Salt, to taste
• Oil, for deep frying

Method

1. Wash the chopped spinach and place it into a bowl. In the bowl, add the onion, gram flour and rice flour. Mix well.
2. Add salt, red chilli powder, turmeric powder, powdered coriander seeds, carom seeds and oil. Mix well until a thick batter forms. Ensure that the spinach becomes well coated.
3. Meanwhile, heat oil in a wok. Take a little batter and drop it into the oil to check if it is hot enough.
4. Take a small handful of the spinach mixture and gently drop it into the oil. Fry until they become golden brown on all sides.
5. Repeat with the rest of the pakoras but make sure not to overcrowd the wok.
6. Once done, remove from the oil and leave to drain on kitchen paper before serving.

This recipe was inspired by Yummy Indian Kitchen.

Pakoras remain a fan favourite snack in Indian cuisine and the number of variations shows why.

They are a popular street food and we just cannot resist experiencing multiple flavours in such a small spiral-shaped snack.

These five recipes are just some of the varieties to try at home. You can adjust the recipes to include different fillings but ultimately, the choice is yours.