Pakora
Pakora is one of my favorite fried dishes of all time. I will always get some when I visit an Indian lunch buffet. What really differentiates it from other fried dishes for me is two things: 1) the uneven, craggly texture that makes it so delightfully crisp, and 2) the fact that the batter is scattered throughout the fritter as opposed to just on the outside. Crisp, fragrant, and incredibly delicious, especially with a tangy sauce like a mint yogurt sauce. I like it best with onion and cauliflower, but this is also a great way to use up miscellaneous leftover vegetables.
Active Time: 30 min
Total Time: 40 min
Ingredients
> onion (1, quartered and thinly sliced)
> cauliflower (~1/4, thinly sliced into slivers)
> mint (chopped, a handful)
> ginger (1 tsp, grated)
> garlic (3 cloves, minced)
> garam masala
> salt
> chickpea flour (3/4 cup)
> rice flour (1/4 cup)
> water (as needed)
> neutral oil
(optional) Mint yogurt sauce
> yogurt (1/2 cup)
> mint (1/4 cup, chopped)
> lime juice (1 tbsp)
Instructions
1. In a large bowl, mix together onion, cauliflower, mint, garlic, ginger, garam masala, and salt. Mix vigorously, squeezing the mixture until some moisture comes out. Set aside for ~10 minutes.
2. Add chickpea flour and rice flour. Mix together until the mixture starts to come together. Add some water if needed. Add just enough water such that the mixture stays intact if squeezed together but no more.
3. In a pot of hot oil over medium heat, take small portions of the mixture (~1 large spoonful), slightly flatten it, and drop into the hot oil. Fry until golden brown, taking care to stir for even frying. Transfer to a wire rack or paper towel.
4. Serve hot with an optional mint yogurt sauce (just mix everything together). Enjoy!
Notes/Tips:
> In general, you'll want to add as little water as possible while still allowing the mixture to come together with some structural integrity.
> Feel free to use any vegetables your heart desires, as long as it cooks relatively quickly. Here I used onions and cauliflower (which is the most delicious combination, in my opinion), but you could use other vegetables like cauliflower, okra, eggplant, bell peppers, cabbage, carrots, spinach, etc.
> Depending on the vegetables you're using, you may need to adjust up or down the amount of water. Cauliflower and onions don't release a ton of water, so I needed to add quite a bit more water, about 1/2 cup.
> Whatever vegetable you use, try to cut it into a similar shape: julienned or thin, relatively short slivers.
> Traditionally pakora is made with some carom seeds or ajwain, but I don't have any so I skipped it here.
> Shapewise, I like to take a large spoonful, flatten it somewhat, and drop it into the oil. Avoid trying to make the shape too uniform -- some textural variance creates a more interesting mouth feel and crispy exterior.