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North indianVeganVegetarian

Vegetable Pakora

Crisp, golden fritters of onion, potato and spinach in a lightly spiced batter, best eaten hot with green chutney and a cup of tea.

20
Prep min
25
Cook min
4
Serves
Easy
Level
Vegetable Pakora

Photo: VD Photography / Unsplash

Cooking steps

1

Peel the onions, halve them and slice into thin half-moons. Peel the potato and cut it into thin matchsticks. Roughly chop the spinach and coriander, finely chop the green chillies and grate the ginger.

Thin slices cook through in the time the batter takes to crisp; thick potato stays raw inside. Dry the spinach well after washing.
2
Let vegetables sweat: 10 min

Put all the prepared vegetables in a large bowl, sprinkle with the salt and toss with your hands. Leave for 10 minutes so they release some of their moisture.

the onions look wet and slightly limp
This moisture helps bind the batter, so you need very little water.
3

Add the besan, rice flour, Kashmiri red chilli powder, turmeric, ajwain and hing and mix with your fingers until the vegetables are evenly dusted.

every strand is coated in the spiced besan, with no dry patches in the bowl
Rub the ajwain between your palms as you add it to release its flavour. The rice flour makes the pakoras extra crisp.
4

Sprinkle in the water a spoonful at a time, mixing with your hand, to make a thick batter that just coats the vegetables and holds them together.

the batter clings and holds the vegetables in loose clumps, with no runny pool at the bottom of the bowl
Add the water slowly; you may not need it all. A runny batter makes flat, oily pakoras: fix it with a spoonful more besan.
5
Heat oil: 6 minMedium high heat

Pour the oil into a deep kadhai or heavy pot, no more than one-third full, and heat it on medium-high for about 6 minutes.

a drop of batter rises to the top at once and sizzles steadily (about 175 °C)
Keep children and pets away, turn the handle inwards and never leave hot oil unattended. If it starts to smoke, turn off the heat and let it settle before carrying on.
6
Medium heat

Turn the heat to medium. Lower small, loose clusters of the mixture, about 4 cm across, into the hot pan close to the surface, 6 to 8 at a time, without crowding it.

they sizzle at once and float up within a few seconds
Let go close to the surface so the hot oil doesn't splash, and wipe your fingers dry first: wet hands make the oil spit.
7
Fry pakoras (per batch): 4 minMedium heat

Fry for 3 to 4 minutes, turning now and then with a slotted spoon, until deep golden brown and crisp all over.

deep golden brown and crisp, and the potato inside is soft when you break one open
Restart the timer for each batch. Browning too fast: lower the heat so the inside cooks through.
8

Lift the pakoras out with a slotted spoon, let them drain over the pan for a moment, and spread them in a single layer on a plate lined with kitchen paper.

Don't stack them: trapped steam makes them soggy. A rack over a tray keeps them crispest.
9
Reheat between batches: 1 minMedium heat

Fry the rest of the mixture in batches the same way, letting the pan come back up to temperature for about 1 minute before each new batch.

a drop of batter sizzles and rises at once before the next batch goes in
Scoop out stray bits of batter between batches; they burn and make the oil bitter.
10

Serve hot, straight away while they are crisp, with green chutney and a cup of tea.

Turn off the heat and let the oil cool completely in the pan before you move or strain it. Leftovers keep in the fridge in a covered container for up to 1 day; reheat in a hot oven or air fryer for 5 to 8 minutes until crisp and piping hot.
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