Crispy Onion Pakoda Recipe | How to Make Onion Pakoras
Pakoras (fritters or bhajis) are a beloved Pakistani and Indian street food snack, which remind me of sitting around the dining room table with my cousins, sipping on chai and having tea cake. My onion pakoras (pakoda) are extra-crunchy thanks to a mix of gram flour and cornflour. I like to add plenty of thinly sliced onions and fresh coriander, which means every bite is crisp, light, and full of flavor. Serve hot with green chutney and a cup of chai—the perfect snack for Ramadan iftar, an afterschool snack, or tea time with your friends.
You can also try my Sweetcorn Pakoras or Aloo (potato) pakoras.
Crispy Onion Pakoda Recipe | How to Make Onion Pakoras
Yield: 4 servings
Ingredients
- 1 cup gram/chickpea flour (120g)
- 2 Tbsp corn flour or more gram flour
- ½ tsp ground cumin OR chaat masala OR ground coriander seeds OR whole cumin OR garam masala
- ½ tsp red chili flakes
- ½ tsp sea salt or more, to taste
- ½ tsp baking powder
- ¼ tsp baking soda
- ¼ tsp ground turmeric
- ice water see details below
- 1 cup fresh cilantro (25g), coarsely chopped (leaves and stalks)
- 1 cup red or yellow onion (175g), thinly sliced into ½ moon shapes
- 2 Thai bird’s eye green chili chopped finely with kitchen shears (use 1 if you prefer it less spicy)
- ⅓ cup ice water (75ml)
- Neutral oil for frying
Instructions
- Place the sliced onions in a bowl of ice water and let them soak.
- In a large mixing bowl, combine gram and corn flour with cumin, red chili flakes, salt, baking powder, baking soda, turmeric, fresh cilantro, and green chilies. Stir to combine.
- Squeeze excess water from the onions and add them to the bowl. Gradually add the ice water, a little at a time, stirring after each addition. Stop when the batter sticks to the coriander and onions like glue—you may not need all the water. The batter should not be runny.
- Heat 3 inches (7.5cm) of oil in a heavy-bottomed pot over medium-high heat until it reaches 350°F (175°C). Test the oil by dropping in a small amount of batter, it should sizzle immediately.
- Working in batches, carefully slide tablespoons of batter into the oil. Fry, agitating and turning the pakoras, for 1½ to 2 minutes, until golden brown and fully cooked through. Adjust the heat as needed to maintain 350°F-360°F (175°C-182°C).
- Remove the cooked pakoras with a slotted spoon and transfer to a platter lined with paper towels. Serve hot.
