Vegetable Pakora Recipe

Wash and cut

Wash all vegetables thoroughly. Peel and thinly slice or julienne the potato. Thinly slice the onion into rings. Break cauliflower into small florets. Grate the carrot and coarsely chop the spinach (or shred cabbage). Finely chop green chilies if using.

Place the prepared vegetables in a large mixing bowl. If onions are very juicy, pat them lightly with a paper towel to remove excess surface moisture so the batter adheres better.

In a separate large bowl, whisk together the besan (chickpea flour), rice flour, baking powder, turmeric, ground cumin, garlic powder, salt, black pepper, and chili powder until evenly combined.

Stir in the chopped cilantro. Add the lemon juice and about 3 tablespoons of water to start and whisk to form a thick, lump-free batter. The batter should be thick enough to coat the back of a spoon and cling to vegetables (similar to pancake batter but thicker). If batter is too stiff, add water 1 teaspoon at a time until you reach the desired consistency.

Add the prepared vegetables (potato, onion, cauliflower, carrot, spinach, and green chilies) directly into the batter bowl. Using a spoon or your hands, toss until all vegetable pieces are evenly coated with the batter. Let the mixture rest 5 minutes — this helps the batter adhere and the baking powder create slight puffiness.

Pour oil into a deep, heavy-bottomed skillet or saucepan to a depth of about 1.5–2 inches (enough for shallow-deep frying). Heat the oil over medium-high heat to 350°F (175°C). If you don’t have a thermometer, test by dropping a small bit of batter into the oil — it should sizzle and bubble immediately and rise to the surface slowly.

Using a tablespoon or small cookie scoop, gently drop heaping spoonfuls of the vegetable-batter mixture into the hot oil, taking care not to overcrowd the pan (fry in batches). Flatten slightly with the back of the spoon if needed to ensure even cooking.

Fry each batch for 3–5 minutes, turning occasionally, until pakoras are golden brown and crisp on all sides. Adjust heat as necessary to avoid burning — medium to medium-high typically works best.

Use a slotted spoon to remove pakoras and drain on a wire rack set over a baking sheet or on paper towels. Keep pakoras warm in a low oven (about 200°F / 95°C) on a baking sheet while you finish remaining batches.

Once all pakoras are fried, sprinkle lightly with chaat masala if desired and squeeze fresh lemon over them to taste.

Serve hot as a starter with mint chutney, tamarind chutney, or plain yogurt. Provide lemon wedges on the side.