This Pakora Recipe (With Green Tomatoes) is my Pakistani twist on a Southern Classic. Firm and tart green tomatoes are dipped in a lightly spiced batter prepared using gram flour and pan-fried to perfection. Ready in 30 minutes, it's the perfect snack or appetizer.
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If you're a fan of South Asian food, you've likely tried pakora at your favorite Indian or Pakistani restaurant. Pakoras and samosas, served with a delicious dollop of chutney, are possibly the two most popular types of street food in both countries.
A lesser-known fact is how easy it is to make this delicious snack at home. Crispy on the outside and soft on the inside, these fried fritters come in many variations. Onion, potato, and ground beef are 3 of the most popular variations, but I love adding other vegetables, like spinach, eggplant, and even jalapenos, to mine.
If you're a fan of street food recipes like this pakora recipe, try Pakistani street-style corn (bhutta), aloo chana chaat with yogurt, bun kabab, or sweet corn masala chaat.
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Why you'll love this pakora recipe
- Perfect tea-time snack - These crispy and light pakoras are perfect when enjoyed with mango chutney and chai.
- Quick and easy recipe - This pakora recipe takes 15 minutes to prep and 15 minutes to cook. It's perfect for when you need a fast option to serve, just like my pizza rolls recipe (with chicken tikka).
- Diet-friendly recipe - Gluten-free and vegan, this recipe is excellent for feeding a group with assorted dietary restrictions.
- Versatile recipe—Personalize these pakoras by dipping your favorite seasonal vegetables in the batter and frying them. For inspiration, check out my spinach pakora recipe.
Pakora recipe ingredients
- Gram flour - A popular South Asian flour made with split chickpea lentils, gram flour is often labeled as "besan" at specialty stores. This differs from chickpea flour, and it's best not to substitute it.
- Green tomatoes - Choose firm tomatoes with no yellow or pink to get a sour, tangy flavor and crisp texture, just like in my easy shakshuka recipe (with green tomatoes).
- Cornflour - This ingredient coats the sliced tomatoes and in the batter itself. It helps ensure that your pakoras are perfectly crispy.
- Cumin seeds - These help add an earthy, nutty flavor to the batter. Make sure to get white cumin seeds, as the black ones can be bitter and too pungent.
- Carom seeds - Known as ajwain, these have a strong smell and flavor in their raw form. However, the taste becomes milder when added to the batter and cooked.
- Pomegranate seeds - These add a delicious sweet and sour flavor and a little crunch for texture to this pakora recipe.
Please see the recipe card at the bottom of this post for the complete list of ingredients, measurements, and recipe instructions.
Substitutions & variations
- Substitute the cornflour - Rice flour is a good substitute for cornflour and helps make the pakoras crispy.
- Try different herbs - Add dried fenugreek leaves, chopped curry leaves, or cilantro to the pakora recipe.
- Sprinkle chaat masala - Sprinkle this on the pakoras before serving them for added flavor.
- Try different dipping sauces - Try some tamarind dipping sauce, cilantro mint chutney, or even some ketchup with the pakoras.
Step-by-step instructions
First step - Slice both tomatoes into ¼-inch thick pieces and marinate with the salt and red chili powder.
Second step - Mix all the dry ingredients for the batter in a medium-sized bowl.
Third step - Stir everything to distribute the seasoning evenly.
Fourth step - Add the water and whisk to create a thick batter.
Fifth step - Dip each tomato individually in the batter and fry in oil that's been pre-heated to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Serve the pakoras fresh and hot with your favorite chutney.
Expert Tips
- Marinate the tomatoes - Adding salt and red chili powder to the sliced tomatoes is essential to well-seasoned pakoras.
- Coat the tomatoes in cornflour - Tomatoes tend to water, especially after the spices have been added. Tossing them in cornflour absorbs the extra moisture and helps the batter stick to them, creating a lovely and crispy coating.
- Ensure the batter is the perfect consistency - The batter needs to be just right for a perfect pakora recipe. If it's too runny, it won't stick to the tomatoes; if it's too thick, the center will not cook properly.
- Fry the pakoras just right - I like using a thermometer to heat the oil to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. If the oil is too cold, the pakoras will be soggy, and if it's too hot, they will overcook on the outside and undercook in the center. Don't overcrowd the pan as you fry the fritters to maintain the oil temperature.
Recipe FAQS
Place the pakoras on a wire rack as soon as you take them out of the frying pan. This will prevent them from sweating and getting soggy. A cookie sheet with a cooling rack works best.
Fried, leftover pakoras can be stored in the fridge for up to 48 hours or frozen in a Ziploc bag for up to 6 weeks.
The best way to reheat any leftovers is in the oven at 350 degrees Fahrenheit for 20 minutes or in the air fryer at 350 degrees Fahrenheit for 10 minutes.
Other recipes you may like
For more recipes like this, check out 30+ Vegetarian Recipes From Pakistan! If you decide to try this recipe, Please don't forget to leave a rating and comment below! If you take a picture, tag me on Instagram! Thank You!
Pakora Recipe (With Green Tomatoes)
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Ingredients
The Green Tomatoes
- 2 green tomatoes (see notes)
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon red chili powder
- ½ cup corn flour (see notes)
The Pakora Batter
- 1 cup gram flour (besan) (see notes)
- 2 tablespoon corn flour
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon red chili powder
- 1 teaspoon cumin seeds (zeera)
- 1 teaspoon carom seeds (ajwain) (see notes)
- 1 teaspoon coriander seeds (sabut dhania)
- 1 tablespoon pomegranate seeds (anardana) (see notes)
- ½ cup water
- 1 cup cooking oil
Instructions
The Green Tomatoes
- Slice both the tomatoes into thin slices. (see notes)
- Add 1 teaspoon of salt and red chili powder to the tomatoes and let them sit in the spices as you prepare the pakora batter. (see notes)
- Place the seasoned tomatoes and the ½ cup of cornflour in a zip-loc bag when you pre-heat the cooking oil. Shake the bag till the tomatoes are well coated. (see notes)
The Pakora Batter
- Take the coriander seeds and rub them between both your palms to break them up slightly.
- Add these and all the other dry ingredients to a bowl and stir to mix.
- Add in the water, a little at a time, until you have a slightly thick batter.
- Add the cooking oil to a broad and shallow frying pan and heat to 350 degrees fahrenheit.
- Remove the sliced tomatoes from the zip-loc bag, dip each slice in the batter until generously coated and fry. (see notes)
Notes
- Buying them - For this recipe, pick tomatoes that are firm to the touch and have no yellow or pink on them.
- Prepping them - Slice the tomatoes into ¼-inch thick slices and marinate them in salt and red chili powder to season them. The seasoning will cause the tomatoes to release water, making it difficult for the batter to adhere to them. Tossing them in some corn flour helps counter this.
- Frying them - For best results, Preheat the oil well and keep it at 350 degrees Fahrenheit throughout frying. This ensures crispy pakoras that are cooked through in the center.
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