🧅 Pakora
Pakoras are crisp Indian fritters made by coating sliced onion and spinach in a spiced batter of besan (gram), chilli and cumin, then deep-frying them until golden. They are crunchy and lacy outside and soft inside, with a warm, savoury spice. Pakoras are a classic tea-time and street snack, served hot with green chutney or tamarind chutney.
Diets
Allergens
None of the 14 major allergens in a typical recipe.
What it is made of
Recipe
Ingredients
- 2 onions, thinly sliced
- 100 g spinach, roughly chopped
- 150 g besan (chickpea powder)
- 1 green chilli, finely chopped
- 1 tsp cumin seeds
- ½ tsp chilli powder
- 1 tsp salt
- about 100 ml water
- Vegetable oil for deep-frying
Method
- Mix the onion, spinach, chilli, cumin, chilli powder and salt in a bowl.
- Add the besan and enough water, little by little, to make a thick batter that coats the vegetables.
- Heat the oil to about 175 °C.
- Drop spoonfuls of the mixture into the oil and fry for 3–4 minutes, turning, until golden and crisp.
- Drain on paper towels and serve hot.
How to make it lighter
- Deep-frying adds most of the calories; baking or air-frying the fritters cuts the fat considerably.
- Keep the oil at the right temperature: cooler oil makes greasier pakoras.
- Count pieces: enjoy 3–4 pakoras with a fresh salad rather than a whole plate.
History
Pakoras are eaten across the Indian subcontinent, from India to Pakistan and Bangladesh, and are especially popular during the monsoon season and as an iftar snack in Ramadan.
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Values are estimates per 100 g for a typical recipe; home and restaurant versions vary. Diets and allergens are worked out from the ingredients of a typical recipe — always check with whoever cooked the dish. Not medical advice. Nutrition data: Me Nutrition dish database v13. How we count →