Crispy Vegetable Pakoras Recipe

I absolutely adore this recipe! As a midwesterner who is married to an Indian, I am always on the lookout for dishes that make my husband affectionately refer to me as his "Indian wife" - and this one does the trick! To suit our preferences, I tend to double up on all the spices in the batter. Making the effort to visit the Indian market for authentic ingredients is totally worthwhile. I simply use whatever vegetables I have available (carrots, spinach, broccoli, mushrooms work well), chop them into small pieces, and mix them all into the batter. I then spoon the mixture into hot oil by the tablespoonful. Don't fret if they don't hold their shape immediately, as they will form into patties as they cook (and even if they fall apart a bit, they're so delicious that nobody will mind!). Cook them until they are slightly overdone to achieve that delightful crispy texture. These fritters are still tasty the next day, although they might be a bit soggy. Simply reheat them in the oven for a wonderful snack or meal.

I will definitely be making this recipe again. These pakoras were surprisingly easy to prepare. Following the advice of other reviewers, I chopped the veggies into smaller pieces and mixed them directly with the batter, which turned out to be a great tip. Cooking the pakoras a little longer than usual, as suggested, resulted in perfectly crispy pakoras. I do regret not doubling the spices and salt as some reviewers suggested. The batter turned out a bit bland for my taste, and I think adding some cumin would have enhanced the flavor. Despite carefully measuring the ingredients, my batter ended up too thin. I had to sift in more chickpea flour and adjust until I reached the right consistency. Next time, I plan to add more spices from the beginning to avoid this issue. Overall, with a few adjustments, the pakoras turned out great, and I will definitely experiment with more spices in the future.

I tried making these last week alongside a Middle Eastern-inspired dinner, and they were a hit! I followed the batter recipe as instructed, but used all-purpose flour instead of chickpea flour. I also substituted garlic powder for fresh garlic and added 1/2 tsp of cumin based on other reviews. I had to adjust the batter consistency by adding about 1 cup of water, probably due to the all-purpose flour. Instead of onions and cauliflower, I used a mix of frozen veggies that I had on hand. After thawing and draining them, I mixed them into the batter. Frying them in vegetable oil on the stovetop, they held together well and crisped up nicely to a golden brown. They had a fantastic flavor and added a great texture to the meal. I paired them with a yogurt cilantro sauce (made with 4 tbsp plain yogurt, 1 tbsp sour cream, hot sauce, chili powder, and dried cilantro) which complemented them perfectly. I will definitely be making this recipe again - it's a winner!

I followed the suggestion to increase the amount of spices in the recipe. Since I didn't have chickpea flour, I used all purpose flour instead, knowing it would affect the texture. The result was a bit chewier than the original, but the taste was fantastic! I incorporated frozen spinach, diced mushrooms, and onions, as they were the only ingredients I had on hand. I plan to buy chickpea flour for my next attempt. Couldn't resist making another batch the next day, this time with chickpea flour. It turned out amazing! I also added spinach and shredded carrots this time. Will definitely be making these again.

I tried adding 1/2 tsp of cumin, fenugreek, ginger, and ajwain to my recipe. Instead of garlic cloves, I used 1/2 tsp of garlic powder. I included spinach, one small finely diced onion, and two cooked potatoes, also finely diced, for the veggies. I fried them to a crisp in peanut oil, and it was absolutely irresistible.

I highly recommend using chickpea flour instead of regular wheat flour for this recipe, as the flavor and results will be completely different. Unlike some recipes where substitutions can be made, it is essential to stick to chickpea flour for authentic Indian food. I also suggest pairing these pakoras with a delicious cilantro dipping sauce - it's a must-have for me whenever I enjoy pakoras.

My absolute favorite of all time. Nothing else compares to this one.

Much easier to make than I had anticipated.

I didn't have chickpea flour on hand, so I used oat flour as a substitute. I shared some with my neighbors and the handyman working on my house, and they all absolutely loved it! I'm not typically a fan of cauliflower, but I have to admit, it was incredibly delicious in this recipe!

I have prepared this dish multiple times and tried different vegetable combinations. It has always been fantastic!

I greatly enjoyed this recipe! I opted for both chili and cayenne, and cooked the dish in ghee. I paired it with sweet potatoes and thinly sliced, quartered onions. It made a scrumptious gluten-free side dish for my soup.