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–+ servings
A plate of crispy vegetable pakoras surrounds a small bowl of orange dipping sauce with chili flakes. The pakoras are golden-brown and filled with herbs. The dish is placed on a white plate and set on a wooden board with a cloth underneath.
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Crispy Onion Pakoda Recipe | How to Make Onion Pakoras

Yield: 4 servings
Author: Shayma Saadat

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.