Easy crispy Vegetable Pakora recipe made with various mixed vegetables, simple seasoning spices, and Indian gram flour batter. Fried to crispy golden perfection and perfectly goes well with classic Indian chai tea!
An ideal dish to serve as an appetizer or a side dish at family dinners and parties. You can prepare it by using only simple ingredients in under 30 minutes!
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Not just these veggie pakoras, my family and friends love my “ Fish Pakora ” and “ Chicken Pakora ” recipes as well. Pakoras are super easy and quick to make once you know how to make the Pakora batter.
What is vegetable pakora?
Pakora, in English, means deep-fried fritters. Vegetable Pakora is one of the most popular street foods in India.
Not just the mixed veggie pakora, you can also find other common pakora dishes like onion pakora, bread pakora, cauliflower pakora, cabbage pakora, chicken pakora, sweet corn pakora and aloo pakora.
You can find different pakora varieties everywhere, from street vendors to five-star restaurants in India.
Ingredients
Vegetables
Onion – Large onion peeled and thinly sliced.
Carrot and potato – Clean the carrots and potatoes by rinsing in water, peeling and julienne.
Green chilli - add a kick of heat to pakora, and you can adjust the amount to your liking.
Pakora Batter
Gram flour: is made from ground chana dal flour. You can use either gram or chickpea flour for this recipe.
Corn starch: Compared to wheat flour, it gives a more crispy texture to the fries.
Water: Add some cold water to the batter to form a thick, sticky paste.
Spices
I used the following ground spices, which go well with the pakora batter. You can adjust the flavour to your own liking.
- Chilli powder
- Turmeric
- Garam masala
- Cumin powder
- Coriander powder
- Salt & Pepper
Variations
- Vegetable Add-ons: In addition to onion, carrot, and potatoes, you can add other vegetables of your choice. Great options include cauliflower, sweet potato, sweetcorn, bell peppers, eggplant, zucchini/courgette, green beans, and broccoli.
- You can also try pakoras with a mixed coleslaw vegetable pack or any of your favourite leftover vegetables from the refrigerator.
- Spices: If you like spicier flavours, you can add extra dried crushed chillies or fresh chilli slices.
- Control the heat: If you are making a milder version, kid-friendly pakoras, you can reduce the amount of spices and chillies. You can also omit green chillies if you prefer no heat.
- Extra flavour: Those who love bold Indian spice flavours add more garam masala and chillies to the batter.
Instructions
Step 1: Prepare the vegetables
- Cut onion and green chilli into thin slices and julienne the carrot and potato.
Step 2: Add seasonings
- Place the vegetables in a large mixing bowl. Then, add the gram flour, cornstarch, chilli powder, turmeric, garam masala, cumin powder, coriander powder and water. Add salt and pepper to taste.
Step 3: Mix the vegetables and spices with Pakora batter
- Combine everything well by using your hand until it forms a thick sticky mixture. Add a splash of water if needed to create a thick mixture.
Step 4: Fry the pakoras in batches
- Fill the frying pot with oil about 3” high. Heat the oil to medium heat.
- Scoop 1 tbsp of pakora batter with one spoon and use another spoon to slide it down into the oil. Repeat the process with the rest of the batter and fry the pakoras with medium heat until crispy golden brown.
- Remove them from the oil once they are crispy golden brown and place them over a cooling rack or paper towel.
Expert Tips
- The batter should be thick and sticky, not watery. Since vegetables release water while mixing, add only a small amount of water and gradually.
- The oil temperature of deep-frying pakora should be medium heat.
- You can check the oil temperature by adding a small batter. If it sizzles steadily, the oil is ready.
- Do not overcrowd the oil and fry in batches to prevent the pakoras from soggy and greasy.
- Cut vegetables into thin shreds or strips of the same size. It is important to julienne the ones that take longer to cook, such as carrots and potatoes.
Serving Suggestions
It goes well with pakora sauce, tamarind sauce, yoghurt mint sauce, Raita Dip, mint chutney, and chilli sauce. You can also pair it with a cup of tea or coffee.
FAQs
Yes, it is vegan and gluten-free. The ingredients are mostly plant-based, and there are no meat or dairy products in the recipe.
Yes, you can store the leftover pakoras in an airtight container and refrigerate them. Reheat them in a preheated air fryer for 1-2 minutes or until crispy before serving.
High-smoke point neutral-flavoured oil such as canola, sunflower, or vegetable oil is suitable for deep frying vegetable pakoras.
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📖 Recipe
Vegetable Pakora
Ingredients
- 1 Onion About 120grams/4.2oz, Cut thin slices
- 1 Carrot About 120grams/4.2oz, Julienned
- 1 Potato About 120grams/4.2oz, Julienned
- 2-3 Green Chilli Cut thin slices
- Oil frying
Batter and Spices
- 60 grams Gram flour Or Chickpea flour, About ½ cup
- 6 tbsp Cornstarch
- 2 tbsp Water Add more water if needed
- 1 tsp Chilli powder Or paprika powder
- ½ tsp Turmeric powder
- 2 tsp Garam masala
- ½ tsp Cumin powder
- ½ tsp Coriander powder
- 1 tsp Salt
- ½ tsp Pepper
Instructions
- Cut onion and green chilli into thin slices and julienne the carrot and potato. Place the vegetables in a large mixing bowl.
- Add the gram flour, cornstarch, chilli powder, turmeric, garam masala, cumin powder, coriander powder and water. Add salt and pepper to taste.
- Combine everything well by using your hand until it forms a thick sticky batter mixture. ( Add a bit more water if needed. )
- Fill the frying pot with oil about 3” high. Heat the oil to medium heat. (The oil temperature can be checked by adding a small piece of batter in the oil. If it sizzles steadily, the oil is ready.)
- Scoop one heap tablespoon of pakora batter with one spoon and use another spoon to slide it down into the oil.
- Repeat the process with the rest of the batter and fry the pakoras with medium heat until crispy golden brown. ( Fry with batches and do not overcrowd the frying oil. )
- Once they are crispy golden brown, remove from oil and place them over a cooling rack or paper towel. Serve with your favourite dipping sauce.
Notes
- You can add extra vegetables of your choice, shredded or julienned. Courgette/zucchini, eggplant/aubergine, sweetcorn, cabbage, sweet potato, and cauliflower are popular options.
- Fry with high smoke point neutral flavour oil. Vegetable oil, sunflower, canola, etc.
- Do not overcrowd the frying oil to maintain the oil temperature.
- It's important to fry with medium-heat oil to achieve an evenly cooked, crispy golden texture pakoras.
- Use a mesh strainer to remove fried crumbles to keep the oil clear.
- You can reheat the pakoras in the pre-heated air fryer for 1-2 minutes or fry them in the hot oil for 1-2 minutes or until crispy.
- Vegetables should be sliced or cut into strips of the same size.
Jen says
I love love love this recipe! You explained everything in details and thank you so much for always being considerate for new learners like me!
Khin says
Thanks, Jen. Glad that you enjoyed this recipe.