Aloo Pakora Recipe

5 from 2 votes

Traditional South Asian fritters made with chickpea flour and potatoes. Spicy, crunchy and delicious, try this easy aloo pakora recipe!

Prep Time30

Cook Time15

Total Time45

Course: Appetizer, Side Dish, Snack

Cuisine: Indian, Pakistani

Diet: Vegan, Vegetarian

Keyword: aloo pakora, chickpea pakora, fritters, Pakora

Servings:

Calories: 176kcal

Author: Nosheen Babar

Ingredients

1 cup chickpea flour (besan)
1 tsp salt
2 tsp red chili powder
1 tsp cumin seeds (zeera)
1 tsp coriander seeds (dhania)
1 tsp dried fenugreek leaves (methi) OPTIONAL
1 tsp carom seeds (ajwain) OPTIONAL
1 tbsp pomegranate seeds (anar dana)
¼ tsp baking soda
2 tbsp cornflour (OPTIONAL-SEE NOTES)
2 green chillies (SEE NOTES)
½ onion
2 tbsp cilantro
1 baby potato
10 curry leaves OPTIONAL
⅔ cup water (SEE NOTES)
2 tbsp yogurt (OPTIONAL-SEE NOTES)
2 cups oil

Instructions

Mix all of the dry ingredients and spices (and the cornflour if using) in a bowl
Finely dice the onion, chili's, cilantro, potatoes and curry leaves (SEE NOTES)
Add the water (and yogurt if using) to the dry mix and stir well till there are no longer any lumps
Add all of the chopped fresh ingredients
Set the batter aside for 20 minutes
Heat the 2 cups of oil to 375° F ((190° C)
Add approximately 1 heaping tablespoon of batter at a time and fry till the fritters are a deep brown (SEE NOTES)

Notes

Fenugreek Leaves: These are optional but I add them for extra flavor. Again you can buy them at Asian grocery stores or order them from Amazon. Make sure to get the leaves and not the seeds as the taste is different.

Ajwain: Carom seeds also add lots of flavor to the pakoras and are optional but a great ad in.

Corn flour: Corn flour can be added to make your pakoras crispier if that's how you like them. I use the yogurt mentioned below for a softer version, but if you prefer yours crispy, leave out the yogurt and add the corn flour. If using the corn flour and not the yogurt you may need to add ⅓ cup extra water to make the batter the right consistency.

Green Chillies: I personally use serrano chillies as they are spicier than jalapenos. if you choose to use jalapenos I would use just 1. Depending on the level of heat you want, thai chillies are for when you want your pakoras super spicy, serrano gives a good kick but won't send smoke out your ears and jalapenos are for if you want less heat.

Curry leaves: These are available at specialty Asian stores and add a ton of flavor to lots of Asian recipes. I love them in my pakoras but they're not essential. If you do decide to get a bunch, they store really well in the freezer.

Water: Adding cold water will help make your batter crispier. I usually add mine at room temperature, preferring the spongy breadlike version of the fritters but feel free to try the former.

Yogurt: Yogurt will help make your fritters spongy and light. if you like the more bread like texture then this is a perfect way to get the desired results.

Potatoes: The potatoes have to be very finely chopped. Almost the same size as the onions in order for them to be cooked through.

Size: When spooning the batter into the oil to fry keep in mind that they will increase a little bit in size as they cook, due to the baking soda. If they are too big then sometimes the inside doesn't get cooked through so it's best to keep them on the smaller size till you get the hang of making them.

Nutrition