Pakoras are a popular Indian and Pakistani snack made by deep-frying battered vegetables or meat. Here's a recipe for vegetable pakoras:
Ingredients:
1 cup chickpea flour (besan)
1 small onion, thinly sliced
1 medium potato, peeled and thinly sliced
1/2 cup spinach leaves, chopped
2-3 green chilies, chopped (optional)
2 tablespoons chopped cilantro (coriander leaves)
1 teaspoon carom seeds (ajwain)
1/2 teaspoon turmeric powder
1/2 teaspoon red chili powder
Salt, to taste
Water, as needed
Oil, for deep frying
Instructions:
Prepare the Batter:
1. In a bowl, combine chickpea flour, carom seeds, turmeric powder, red chili powder, and salt.
2. Add water gradually to form a thick batter. The consistency should be thick enough to coat the back of a spoon.
Prepare the Vegetables:
Add sliced onion, potato, chopped spinach, green chilies, and cilantro to the batter. Mix well to coat the vegetables evenly.
Fry the Pakoras:
1. Heat oil in a deep pan or fryer over medium heat.
2. Drop spoonfuls of the vegetable mixture into the hot oil. Fry in batches, making sure not to overcrowd the pan.
3. Fry the pakoras until they are golden brown and crispy, turning them occasionally for even cooking.
4. Remove the pakoras from the oil using a slotted spoon and drain on paper towels to remove excess oil.
Serve:
Serve the pakoras hot with chutney or ketchup.
