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Pakoras are a staple of rainy evenings, sure. But really, there’s never a bad occasion to trot out these evergreen snacks. While a lot of us are mostly used to a few varieties of pakoras, there is a whole treasure trove of recipes that we may or may not be aware of. Here then is Slurrp’s quick rundown of the best pakoras—some classic, some new. Hopefully, your mind is already figuring out what’s in the pantry as you read this. Our guess is that every ingredient is already there—that’s the thing about pakoras; they don’t ask for much, but they give you so much!
1. Daal fry pakora in tomato gravy
To make the pakoras, cook moong or mixed daal to thicken. Cool the cooked daal. Add the bread by soaking and then squeezing out the water. Add 2 tablespoons each of sooji and besan. Add jeera powder, chili powder, garam masala, whole jeera, and turmeric powder—all about a teaspoon. Make a dough that looks like batter. Heat the oil and add the small pakoras.
To make the gravy, Heat 1 tablespoon of oil in a pan. Add chopped onions. Sauté. Add garlic, ginger, and chili. Sauté on medium-high heat. Remove after 5 minutes. Cool and blend. Heat 1 tablespoon of oil in the same pan. Add chopped spring onions. Sauté a while and add the chopped sweet peppers. Add tomato puree and a little sugar to taste. Cook for 4 to 5 minutes. Add some kasoori methi for a minute. Turn off the heat and add the grated cheese.
Place pakoras in a bowl and pour on tomato gravy. A delicious new twist is ready!
Taste: savory, tangy.
Prep time: 25 minutes.
Calories: 403
2. SINGHARA POTATO PAKORA
Take two medium-sized potatoes, wash, peel, and cut them into medium-thin slices. Add them to the water and set aside. Take a bowl, add half a cup of singhara flour, 1 teaspoon chili ginger paste, cumin seeds, and rock salt. Add enough water to make a medium-thick batter. Heat oil in a kadhai. Dip each slice in the batter and drop it into hot oil. Keep stirring and frying until golden and crispy. Enjoy with mint chutney or ketchup!
Taste: Savory
Prep time: 20 minutes
Calories: 132
3. PUNJABI PAKORA KADHI
In a mixing bowl, combine 200 g curd and 3–4 tablespoons of besan; whisk together and add 2 cups water, salt, green chili, and turmeric. Keep aside. In another bowl, combine all the ingredients mentioned for pakora in recipe 1. Set aside for 15 minutes. Make pakoras as stated above.
For the kadhi, pour in the curd and besan mix. Mix well. Let it boil. Slow down the flame. Let it cook for 30 minutes on low heat. Remove to a serving bowl. Add the pakoras. Let it soak in kadhi. Heat the oil for the tadka. Add mustard seeds and dried red chilies. Classic Punjabi Kadhi Pakora is ready!
Taste: Savory
Prep time: 45 minutes.
Calories: 296
4. PAKORA KURMA
Method for preparing the pakoras: In a bowl, mix the flour along with salt, baking powder, and soda with sufficient water. Make a thick batter. Add the carrot, onion, and coriander leaves. Mix them well. Heat oil in a pan; take small balls of batter and fry them well in medium flame until they turn golden brown. Drain them in a kitchen towel and keep aside.
Method for kurma: Heat 3 teaspoons of oil in a pan; add the onions. Sauté till they turn translucent. Add the ginger-garlic paste and sauté them well. Now add the chopped tomatoes, along with turmeric powder and cumin powder. Sauté them until the tomatoes get cooked well. Grind the ingredients for grinding to a smooth paste with sufficient water. Now add this with a little water and salt. Allow it to boil until you get the thick consistency (adjust the water accordingly to your thickness). Finally, add the pakoras and garnish with coriander leaves. Tasty pakora kurma is ready to serve.
Taste: Savory
Prep time: 15 minutes.
Calories: 131
5. PEANUT PAKORA
Take ¾ cup roasted and coarsely crushed peanuts, ¾ cup besan, ½ cup whole wheat flour, ¾ cup shredded spinach and combine them all in half a cup of water in a deep bowl. Mix well until a thick batter consistency is obtained. Heat oil in a deep nonstick pan, drop small spoonfuls of batter in the oil, a few at a time, and deep fry until they turn golden brown in color on all sides. Drain excess oil on paper towels. Serve with green chutney and sweet chutney for a crunchy, savory treat.
All these pakoras go best with mint or coriander chutney and slices of onion on the side. If you are feeling too lazy to make the chutneys, ketchup is always your and a pakora’s best friend.
Taste: Savory
Prep time: 30 minutes
Calories: 223
6. POHA PAKORAS
To make poha pakoras, first take a bowl and add 1 cup of poha, 2 finely chopped onions, 5 red chilis, 2 tablespoons corn flour, coriander leaves, and salt. Mix it well and keep it aside. Cook 2 medium-sized potatoes in a pressure cooker, peel, mash, and keep aside. Mix the mashed potatoes with the poha. Divide the mixture and roll small portions into balls. Deep fry each ball until golden brown. And serve with green chutney.
Taste: Savory
Prep time: 20 minutes
Calories: 230
