Pakora is the crispy version of the bhajee. The vegetables are lightly salted and left to stand a few minutes to extract some of their juice, which is then mopped up with a little chickpea flour. Whole fennel and cumin seed add aroma, while vapours from black salt and asafoetida (hing) lift it to high heaven.
1/2 - 1tspsalt (to taste)black rock salt is especially good here - grind a little in a mortar and pestle
3-4heaped tbspgram (chick-pea) flour
a fewdrops ofwaterif needed
1/2tspbaking powder (optional)for a soft, fluffy centre with all of the outer crispness
oil for fryingor invest in an air-fryer
Condiments
1tspfennel seeds
1tspcumin seeds
5-6black peppercornsground in a mortar and pestle
1large pinch ofhing (asafoetida)
2-3fresh bird's-eye (Thai) chilliesthinly sliced, de-seeded or whole (optional)
Instructions
Use the coarse grater or julienne attachement of your food processor to process the potatoes. I keep the skins on.
OR manually grate or julienne the spuds with whatever implement you have to hand. Shams used a spiralizer for her pakora. Brilliant!
Thinly slice the onions either by hand or in your food processor
Mix the onions and potatoes in a large bowl and sprinkle on the salt
Leave to stand for 5 minutes for the salt to draw out some of the juices
Taste some of the onion. If it's too salty run a handful of the vegetables under the tap. Or add a little more salt to get the seasoning to your taste
Add the chillies, cumin, fennel and hing. There's no need to pre-roast the spices as they'll release all their flavour in the frying process
Add in the gram flour a spoonful at a time, mixing it in well with a spoon or your free hand until the mixture just holds together. If the mixture looks dry use splash on a few drops of water witth your fingers
Fry The Pakora In Oil
Add tablespoon of the mixture to medium hot oil. Your pakoras should start to sizzle immediately, otherwise the oil is not hot enough. Conversely, If the oil is smokling wildly, turn down the flame and wait for it to cool
Fry, turning occasionally until golden on all sides
Air-Fry The Pakora
Placing the raw pakora directly on the wire trays will not work. Use lightly oiled greasproof parchment cut to size or silicon mesh over the trays
Drop tablespoon-fulls of pakora mix on the trays and "fry" at 200 degrees for 15-20 minutes in total.
After 5-7 minutes turn the pakoras over carefully, Discard the baking parchment at this stage so both surfaces are exposed to the drying heat.
Swap the bottom-most and top-most trays over as needed half way through cooking
Notes
Serve with your favourite relish or pickle and a crisp vegetable side.For a complete protein-rich meal follow with any number of vegetable dishes accompanied by rice, millet or rotis using flour from your favourite grain. Or try South Indian rice-and-lentil ferments such as dosa or idli for that extra-special touch.