If you’re a fan of South Asian food, you’ve likely tried a pakora at your favorite Indian or Pakistani restaurant. Pakoras and samosas, served with a delicious dollop of chutney, are possibly the two most popular types of street food in both countries. A lesser-known fact is how easy it is to make this delicious snack at home. Crispy on the outside and soft on the inside, these fried fritters come in many variations. Onion, potato, and ground beef are 3 of the most popular variations, but I love adding other vegetables, like spinach, eggplant, and even jalapenos, to mine. If you’re a fan of street food recipes like this pakora recipe, try Pakistani street-style corn (bhutta), aloo chana chaat with yogurt, bun kabab, or sweet corn masala chaat.
Why you’ll love this pakora recipe
Perfect tea-time snack - These crispy and light pakoras are perfect when enjoyed with mango chutney and chai. Quick and easy recipe - This pakora recipe takes 15 minutes to prep and 15 minutes to cook. It’s perfect for when you need a fast option to serve. Diet-friendly recipe - Gluten-free and vegan, this recipe is excellent for feeding a group with assorted dietary restrictions. Versatile recipe - Personalize these pakoras and dip your favorite seasonal vegetables in the batter and fry.
Pakora recipe ingredients
Gram flour - A popular South Asian flour made with split chickpea lentils, gram flour is often labeled as “besan” at specialty stores. This differs from chickpea flour, and it’s best not to substitute it. Green tomatoes - Choose firm tomatoes with no yellow or pink to get a sour, tangy flavor and crisp texture, just like in my easy shakshuka recipe (with green tomatoes). Cornflour - This ingredient coats the sliced tomatoes and in the batter itself. It helps ensure that your pakoras are perfectly crispy. Cumin seeds - These help add an earthy, nutty flavor to the batter. Make sure to get white cumin seeds, as the black ones can be bitter and too pungent. Carom seeds - Known as ajwain, these have a strong smell and flavor in their raw form. However, the taste becomes milder when added to the batter and cooked. Pomegranate seeds - These add a delicious sweet and sour flavor and a little crunch for texture to this pakora recipe.
Please see the recipe card at the bottom of this post for the complete list of ingredients, measurements, and recipe instructions.
Substitutions & variations
Substitute the cornflour - Rice flour is a good substitute for cornflour and helps make the pakoras crispy. Try different herbs - Add dried fenugreek leaves, chopped curry leaves, or cilantro to the pakora recipe. Sprinkle chaat masala - Sprinkle this on the pakoras before serving them for added flavor. Try different dipping sauces - Try some tamarind dipping sauce, cilantro mint chutney, or even some ketchup with the pakoras.
Step-by-step instructions
Fifth step - Dip each tomato individually in the batter and fry in oil that’s been pre-heated to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Serve the pakoras fresh and hot with your favorite chutney.
Expert Tips
For more recipes like this, check out 30+ Vegetarian Recipes From Pakistan! If you decide to try this recipe, Please don’t forget to leave a rating and comment below! If you take a picture, tag me on Instagram! Thank You!
