Veggie or onion pakoras are SERIOUS comfort food for me. As I mentioned with my deep kheer recipe explorations, I’m not really sure when or how this came to be since I didn’t grow up with Indian food, but now they’re one of my go-to’s when I want to indulge.
Are onion pakoras and pakodas the same thing?
Yes, pakora and pakoda are different names for the same thing (you might also see pakodi or even just “fritters”. Regardless of what they’re called, I LOVE them.
I think there are a few main differences between this onion pakora recipe and restaurant ones. 1) I refuse to use a deep fryer, and so I can’t make more of the ball-like doughy ones, 2) I’m not using a mixed veg, and 3) I’m not using fresh curry leaves because finding them in southern Indiana is…not a thing.
But from a flavor and overall experience standpoint relative to effort, these tick my boxes. And I can whip them up when a craving strikes in like 10 minutes, which is a major win for me.
I have made these at least a dozen times at this point, trying to get them perfect, and here are a few hacks I read about and tried.
- Add a little oil to the batter to help make it crispier, so it won’t absorb as much oil while frying
- Add a pinch of baking soda to the batter for extra fluffiness
I tried both of those at times, but didn’t see a meaningful difference so don’t know if it’s worth it, but mentioning in case those work well for you.
One of the main things you need to know is that, because we’re shallow pan-frying (vs. deep-frying), you want to keep them fairly small and flat rather than balls, to get them to cook through and not be raw inside. Think latke rather than hush puppy.
As I noted above and in the recipe notes below, I do think that these pakoras are great with a tangy sauce of some sort. This tamarind chutney is a bit intense so if you have a lighter chutney you like, go with that.
But if you want to make this one, it only takes a couple minutes. Start by putting the oil and spices into a small saucepan. Place over low heat.
Once the spices start sizzling, and smell slightly richer, add the remaining ingredients (tamarind paste, brown sugar, and water) and bring the mixture to a boil. Boil for about 2 minutes, or until slightly thickened. Then set aside to cool.
Now let’s get started on our onion pakoras! You want to slice your onions really thin if possible, and I’ve found that shorter lengths help keep the fritters more manageable when frying.
I’ve tried a number of methods for getting them sliced really thinly, including a mandoline…which works fine, but honestly wasn’t worth it when weighed against the very real chance of slicing my fingers off. So a great sharp chef’s knife is my weapon of choice (this is my new fave—obsessed!).
Peel and very finely slice the onions and put them in a mixing bowl.
Add the spices, grated ginger, and chopped cilantro leaves to the onions and stir together briefly.
Add the chickpea flour and stir to coat, then then slowly add the water, mixing as you go. You want to get the batter to the consistency of greek yogurt or a thicker pancake batter.
Then set aside for about 10 minutes, which helps the onion soften slightly and the batter thicken a bit, so the fritters hold together.
Line a plate or pan with paper towels (to soak up oil) and set aside. Heat a thin layer of oil in a skillet on medium until just starting to shimmer. To see if it’s ready, put a piece of onion in the pan…when it floats to the surface and sizzles, the oil is ready to go (about 350F/170C).
Place a large spoonful of the onion batter mixture into the oil. You want it to be a little flatter vs. a big ball, to get the inside cooked.
Let them cook for 1-2 minutes (it will depend on how hot your oil is), then flip using a slotted spatula once the bottom side is a nice golden brown. Cook another minute or two, until the other side is golden. They should be cooked all the way through.
If you’re having trouble with oil splatter, your oil may be a bit too hot, but having a mesh splatter screen to put over your pan works wonders.
When each fritter is done, use your slotted spatula to remove it from the pan and put on the paper towel-lined plate. Sprinkle with more salt.
I recommend working in smaller batches and not crowding your pan too much. I only put three or four in the pan at a time, but they cook so quickly that you can make the entire batch fast enough so the first ones don’t get cold.
Serve hot and fresh! They go great with a dipping sauce like this tamarind chutney, or anything that’s bright and tart.
Other Indian-inspired recipes you’ll love:
- Chetna’s Easy Chicken Curry
- One-Pot Yellow Cauliflower & Chickpea Curry (vegan)
- Chicken Tikka Masala (gluten-free)
- Aloo Gobi: Indian-Spiced Cauliflower & Potatoes
- Easy Homemade Naan Bread
- How To Make the Best, Creamiest Kheer (Indian Rice Pudding)
Adapted from The Sugar Hit and I took a couple tips from this site as well
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Super Easy Onion Pakoras (Without a Deep Fryer) with Tamarind Chutney
An easy onion pakora recipe without using a deep fryer. These easy pakodas on the stovetop are delicious--pure comfort food! How to make onion pakoras from scratch.
Ingredients
- For the pakoras:
- 1 medium brown or yellow onion, sliced VERY THIN
- 1 cup of chickpea flour (also known as gram or besan flour; you may need a bit more depending on onion size)
- 1/2 to 2/3 cup of water (I usually use more like 1/2)
- 1 teaspoon of turmeric
- 2 teaspoons of cumin seeds
- 1 teaspoon of nigella seeds
- 1 teaspoon of salt (sometimes more)
- 1 teaspoon of grated fresh ginger (or ginger paste)
- A tiny bit of sriracha or cayenne, to taste (the original recipe calls for sliced chili)
- Optional: 1/4 cup of fresh cilantro leaves, roughly chopped
- Oil, for frying (I use coconut or avocado)
- For the tamarind chutney:
- 1 teaspoon of oil (I use avocado)
- 1/4 teaspoon of cumin
- 1/4 teaspoon of cardamom
- 1/4 teaspoon of ground ginger
- 1/4 cup of tamarind paste
- 1/4 cup of brown sugar
- 1/3 cup of water
Instructions
- To make the chutney: Place the oil and spices into a small saucepan and place over a low heat.
- Once the spices start sizzling, and smell slightly richer, add the remaining ingredients and bring the mixture to a boil. Boil for about 2 minutes, or until slightly thickened. Set aside to cool.
- To make the pakoras: Peel and very finely slice the onions. Place the onions into a mixing bowl and add the remaining ingredients. Line a plate or pan with paper towels (to soak up oil) and set aside.
- Slowly add the water, mixing as you go, to get the batter to the consistency of greek yogurt or a thicker pancake batter. Then set aside for about 10 minutes, which helps the onion soften slightly and the batter thicken a bit and the fritters hold together.
- Heat a thin layer of oil in a skillet on medium until just starting to shimmer. Put a piece of onion in the pan, when it floats to the surface and sizzles, the oil is ready to go (about 350F/170C).
- Place a large spoonful of the onion batter mixture into the oil. You want it to be a little flatter vs. a big ball, to get the inside cooked.
- Let them cook for 1-2 minutes (it will depend on how hot your oil is), then flip once the bottom side is a nice golden brown. Cook another minute or two, until the other side is golden. They should be cooked all the way through.
- When each fritter is done, use a slotted spatula to remove it from the pan and put on the paper towel-lined plate. Sprinkle with more salt. Serve hot and fresh!
Notes
- This chutney is a tiny bit intense (though delicious), or some kind of tart sauce does really add something to this dish flavor-wise.
- One of the main things you need to know is that, because we're shallow pan-frying (vs. deep-frying), you want to keep them fairly small and flat rather than balls, to get them to cook through and not be raw inside.
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