Vegetable Pakora Recipe

Wash and prepare all vegetables. Thinly slice the onion, peel and cut the potato into thin slices or julienne. Break cauliflower into very small florets or thinly slice. Roughly chop spinach if using and thinly slice bell pepper. Pat vegetables dry with paper towels to remove excess moisture.

Place the prepared vegetables in a large bowl. Add 1/2 teaspoon of salt and toss; let sit 5 minutes, then squeeze any excess water from the potatoes/onion using a clean cloth or between your hands. Removing excess moisture helps the batter stick and prevents spattering when frying.

In a medium bowl, whisk together the gram flour, rice flour, baking powder, turmeric, red chili powder, coriander powder, cumin seeds, ajwain (if using) and remaining 1 tsp salt until evenly combined.

Stir in the chopped coriander and green chilies.

Add about 1/2 cup water and mix to form a thick, smooth batter. The batter should be thick enough to coat vegetables (like a loose peanut-butter consistency). Add the remaining water 1–2 tablespoons at a time if needed. Do not make it runny; you want a heavy coating.

Fold the prepared vegetables into the batter, mixing thoroughly so each piece is well coated. Let the mixture rest 5 minutes; the batter will cling better to vegetables.

Pour oil into a deep, heavy-bottomed pan or wok to a depth of about 2–3 inches. Heat over medium-high until it reaches 350–360°F (175–180°C). If you don't have a thermometer, test by dropping a small amount of batter: it should sizzle and bubble and rise slowly without browning immediately.

Using two teaspoons or your fingers, drop small mounds (about 1–1.5 tbsp batter with vegetables) into the hot oil, spacing several apart. Do not overcrowd the pan.

Fry the pakoras in batches, turning occasionally, until golden brown and crisp, about 3–5 minutes per batch depending on size and oil temperature. Adjust heat as needed so they cook through without burning.

Use a slotted spoon to transfer fried pakoras to a plate lined with paper towels to drain. Immediately sprinkle with a little salt or chaat masala if desired.

Serve hot with lemon wedges and chutneys such as mint-coriander chutney or tamarind chutney. Pakoras are best eaten immediately while crisp.

If making ahead, keep warm in a single layer on a wire rack in a low oven (200°F / 95°C) for up to 20–30 minutes to preserve crispness. Re-fry briefly in hot oil for 20–30 seconds to re-crisp if needed.