Aloo Pakora

Aloo Pakoras are deep-fried potato fritters, often served with green chutney. Pakora is a popular vegetarian street food snack in India and Pakistan. They're also a very popular snack made for Iftar in Ramadan. Also gluten-free!

Course Appetizer, Snack

Cuisine Pakistani/Indian

Prep Time 5 minutes

Cook Time 10 minutes

Servings

Calories 232kcal

Author Wajeeha Nadeem

Equipment

1 Measuring cup
1 Mixing bowl
1 Frying pan or wok
1 Cooling rack

Ingredients

For the Batter

1 cup (120 grams) gram flour besan
1/2 teaspoon coriander powder dhania powder
1/2 teaspoon chaat masala or to taste
1/4 teaspoon kashmiri lal mirch
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon ginger finely grated
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1 cuo water or as needed

For the Aloo Pakora

2 (300 grams) medium-sized potatoes thinly sliced
1 cup oil for deep frying

Garlic Yogurt Dipping Sauce (Optional)

1/2 cup yogurt
2 garlic cloves minced
1 green chili thinly sliced
salt to taste

Instructions

Make the Batter

Combine the besan (gram flour), spices, ginger, green chilies, and baking powder in a mixing bowl.
Gradually pour in cold water, while whisking constantly. The batter should have a runny, flowing consistency and should be lump-free.
Once the batter is ready, prepare the potatoes. Peel and slice the potatoes into thin slices about 1/8 inch thick. You can also use a mandolin for this step.

Frying the Aloo Pakora

In a frying pan or wok, bring the oil to medium-high heat. Place a cooling rack over a baking tray.
To check if the oil is ready for frying, drop a bit of pakora batter into the oil. If it floats up immediately, then the oil is too hot for frying. It should take about 2 seconds to float up, on medium high heat.
Coat each potato slice with the pakora batter one at a time. Make sure it is coated from all sides.
Gently drop each potato slice into the oil. Don’t fry too many pakoras at a time, as that will cause the oil temperature to drop and the pakoras won’t cook through. Work in batches.
Gently flip the pakoras so that they are evenly golden from all sides. It will take about 3-4 minutes per side to cook through.
Using a slotted spoon, remove the pakoras from the oil and place them on the cooling rack.
Serve with green chutney or ketchup. Enjoy!

Garlic Yogurt Sauce for Dipping

In a small bowl combine all the ingredients and mix well. Serve with the pakora!

Notes

Besan: Also known as gram flour or chickpea flour, it's made from dried, ground chickpeas. It's a staple flour in most Indian and Pakistani households.
Water: How much water will depend on the quality and brand of your besan. I usually use a 1:1 ratio for this recipe. We need the batter to be on the thinner side.
Chaat masala: This is an Indian spice blend that is tangy and just addictive. However, it's optional and can be easily skipped.
Fresh ginger: This adds a unique and delicious flavor to the pakoras. It can be however skipped or substituted with 1/4 teaspoon of ginger powder.
Optional spices and herbs: You can also add 1/4 teaspoon of ajwain and finely chopped coriander.
Serving Suggestions: You can serve these pakoray with green chutney or imli chutney (tamarind sauce).
Storage Instructions: Pakoras are best enjoyed when freshly cooked. However, you can store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for 1-2 days. To reheat, preheat the oven to 180 C or 350 F and spread the pakora on a baking tray in a single layer. Bake for a few minutes until warmed through and crispy.

Success Tips:

Batter Consistency: The pakora batter should neither be too thin or thick.
Baking Soda: Acts as a leavening agent and helps to create gas bubbles in the batter. This leads to crispiness and lightness to the fried pakora.
Use a mandolin: it makes it so easy to slice the potatoes evenly!
Fry on medium-high heat: Too high or low will either end up in undercooked or burned pakoray.
Cool on a baking rack: After frying the pakoras place them on a cooling rack placed over a baking sheet. This way the aloo pakoras won’t lose their crispiness from the steam released when you place them on a plate lined with kitchen towel.
Fry in Batches: Working in batches ensures that the heat of the oil is maintained and the fritters are cooked evenly.
Use potatoes with high starch content: The best potatoes to use for this recipe are russet or Idaho potatoes. You can also use sweet potatoes, for a sweeter note! I would not recommend using other varieties such as baby potatoes.

Nutrition