Gluten Free Corn Fritters (Sweetcorn Pakoras)
These are my Aunty Shelly’s sweetcorn pakoras. She is like a second mother to me—we grew up together in Washington, DC, our families intertwined, her home and kitchen always open to me.
During Ramadan, her table is filled with dishes for everyone who walks through the door, but it’s her sweetcorn pakoras that I love most—crispy, fragrant with warm spices, and always served with a fiery green chutney.
You can also try my Aloo Pakoras (potato version) if you are looking for a tea-time snack.
Gluten Free Corn Fritters (Sweetcorn Pakoras)
Yield: 5 servings
Ingredients
- 1 cup gram/chickpea flour
- 2 Tbsp corn flour or more gram flour
- 1/2 tsp garam masala OR chaat masala, OR ground coriander seeds OR ground cumin OR whole cumin
- 1/2 tsp red chilli flakes
- 1/2 tsp sea salt or more, to taste
- 1/2 tsp baking powder
- 1/4 tsp baking soda
- 1/4 tsp ground turmeric
- 1 cup canned corn drained + liquid discarded
- 1 Thai bird’s eye green chilli finely chopped
- 1/4 cup dill
- 1/4 cup red onion finely minced
- Ice water as needed
Instructions
- In a large mixing bowl combine flours with corn, Thai bird's eye green chilli, red chilli flakes, dill, onions, garam masala, salt, baking powder, baking soda, and turmeric. Mix to combine.
- You will need approximately 1 cup of ice water. Start with 1/4 cup, and keep adding more to the mixture, gradually, till it transforms to a thick batter.
- Heat three inches of oil in a heavy-bottomed pot on high heat, to 350F. Test the oil: a tiny drop of batter should sizzle.
- Working in batches, carefully slide batter into the oil, tablespoon by tablespoon. Fry, agitating and turning the pakoras, for 1 1/2 to 2 minutes, until they turn golden-brown and are cooked through. Adjust heat up or down, as necessary, to maintain a temperature of 350-360F.
- Remove cooked pakoras from the oil and transfer to a large platter lined with paper towels.
