Crispy Onion Pakoda Recipe

Crispy Onion Pakoda (Onion Pakora, Kanda Bhaji, Indian Onion Fritters) is one of the favorite Indian snacks during the monsoons or winter days. Make the best onions pakora using my easy recipe. Full Recipe - Ingredients ▢2 cups thinly sliced red onions ▢1 teaspoon salt ▢1 teaspoon Kashmiri red chili powder ▢2 teaspoons finely chopped ginger ▢2 teaspoons finely chopped cilantro (fresh coriander leaves) ▢2 teaspoons finely chopped green chilies ▢¼ teaspoon asafetida (hing) (skip for gluten-free) ▢1 cup chickpea flour (besan, gram flour) ▢2 tablespoons rice flour ▢2 tablespoons vegetable oil (plus 3-4 cups for frying the pakora) ▢⅛ teaspoon turmeric powder ▢1 teaspoon chaat masala powder Instructions Add onions, salt, Kashmiri red chili powder, ginger, cilantro, green chilies, and asafetida to a large mixing bowl. Mash the ingredients using your fingers until they all come together. Keep the bowl aside for 10 minutes. Note – The onions will release some water during this time. This is an important step to make crispy pakoras. Now add chickpea flour, rice flour, and vegetable oil to the bowl and mix well. Add turmeric powder, and 1-2 tablespoons of water and mix well to make a thick pakoda batter. Note – The consistency of the batter is very important to making crispy pakora. Add water just enough to bring the ingredients together. If the batter is thin, the pakoras will not turn out crispy. Heat vegetable oil for frying in a pan over medium-high heat. Once the oil is hot, reduce the heat to medium. Drop small pakoda in the hot oil using your fingers and fry until they are golden brown and crisp. Flip the pakoras a few times while frying to ensure even browning. Note – Do not overload the pan while frying the pakodas. I fried this amount of batter in 3 batches. If the pan is overloaded, the oil temperature will come down, and the pakoras will not turn out crispy. Drain on a plate lined with paper towels. Sprinkle chaat masala on top and serve immediately. Notes Adjust the green chilies as per your liking. Slice the onions into thin, even slices. If the slices are thick, they will absorb more oil making the pakoras oily. Do not fry the onion pakoda on low heat. They will absorb excess oil and will become soggy. Do not fry on too high heat, either. They will turn brown from the outside and will remain uncooked from the inside. Always use good quality fresh gram flour. Taste the flour before making the pakoda, as it can get bitter if it is too old.