These potato fritters are vegan, dairy-free, and gluten-free. Serve it as an evening snack or appetizer for your Diwali or Holiday parties. Jump to:Recipe cardIndian potato pakoraIngredientsHow to make crispy aloo pakora bites?Chef TipsVariationsMore pakora recipesUser Reviews
Recipe card
Indian potato pakora
Pakora is an Indian street-style snack recipe served with a cup of coffee or tea. It is also called pakoda, bajiya, bajji, bajo, etc. Among the pakoras made, potato, chicken, plantains, paneer, bread, and onion are popular. The batter for the pakora remains the same. The way you slice the vegetables varies. Traditionally, potatoes are chopped into round slices and fried like sweet potato fritters or ripe banana pakora. Today, I have brought twists to these fritters. Cut them into small bite-size pieces, and then coat them in the batter like you do onion pakoda or okra (bhindi) pakora. It is then fried until crispy. They taste like bites of flavored french fries (finger chips). Potato fritters or Aloo Pakora Bites are one of the best and quickest snacks you can make at home. Serve for evening tea, cocktail mocktail parties, Diwali parties, Super Bowl game night, etc. Check out our best Indian evening snacks recipes.
Ingredients
Pakora or Indian fritters are made with one vegetable, chickpea flour, and minimal spices. To make these bite-sized crispy aloo pakora, I have used- Rice flour: This makes your pakora or bajji crispy and crunchy on the outside. Chickpea flour: Also called besan, to make the fritter batter and add nutty flavor. Potatoes: I have used two large russet potatoes. Green chile: Optional but adds a good heat. Seasoning: Turmeric, red chile powder, and salt. See the recipe card below for a full list of ingredients and measurements.
How to make crispy aloo pakora bites?
Chop the potatoes
Peel the skin of the potatoes and cut them into small cubes. Wash them in cold water and drain.
Prepare the potato fritter batter
In a bowl, add rice flour, besan, chopped green chilie, garlic cloves, turmeric powder, chile powder, salt to taste, and potato cubes and mix. Now add water little by little until the flour coats the potatoes. You can check the video on cashew pakoda made similarly.
How to fry crispy potato bites?
On a medium to medium-high flame, heat oil in a pan for frying. To check if the oil is ready, add a small piece of potato and check if it sizzles and comes up. Take small portions of the potato mixture in hand and drop it in oil. Depending on the size of your pan, fry 4 to 6 fritter portions at a time. Deep fry them till they become crispy and golden brown. Flip them occasionally so that they are cooked evenly. Remove them using a slotted spoon. Transfer it to a paper towel to absorb any excess oil. Repeat the process for the remaining potato mixture. To enjoy a crispy texture, serve them immediately with tomato ketchup, mint chutney, and a cup of coffee or Indian milk tea.
Chef Tips
Do not overcrowd the pan with fritters. This will not make your fritters crispy. The fritters will not become crispy if the batter is too watery. So add water in increments to the batter and make a thick paste. Add more seasonings like dried basil leaves, garlic powder, pepper flakes, pepper powder, and coriander to the batter if desired. Deseed the green chilies if you cannot tolerate the heat. Instead of garlic, you can even use ginger garlic paste. The oil should be at the right temperature. It should not be too hot; this will make your fries turn dark brown and remain uncooked inside. If the oil is cold, then your fritters will become soggy. So, the best practice is to switch your flame between medium and medium-high. See that the frying pan is filled halfway through with oil. I used a 9-inch deep pan.
Variations
I have tried combining potatoes with mushrooms, and they taste fantastic. To make mixed veg pakoda, you can cut vegetables like onion, capsicum, cabbage, and cauliflower into small bites. Add them to the batter and mix. Fry until crispy.
More pakora recipes
Did you like this recipe? Please leave a star ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ rating below and/or a review in the comments section. You can also stay in touch with us through social media by following us on Pinterest, Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter.
