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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.
Prep Time15 minutes
Cook Time10 minutes
Total Time25 minutes
Course: Appetizers, Dips, & Snacks
Cuisine: Indian

Equipment

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

  • <b>To make the chutney:</b>  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.
  • <b>To make the pakoras:</b>  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

  1. This chutney is a tiny bit intense (though delicious), or some kind of tart sauce does really add something to this dish flavor-wise.
  2. 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.