Crispy Vegetable Pakoras

These are the perfect crispy vegetable pakoras: super crispy and crunchy without being oily, perfectly spiced so they let the vegetables shine, and very easy to make!

Pakoras (fried vegetable fritters) are a staple in the Pakistani cuisine, especially during the month of Ramadan. They are deep fried fritters made with a batter of chickpea flour ("besan") and come in many different varieties, such as single vegetable pakoras, mixed vegetable pakoras, chicken pakoras, paneer pakoras and so on.

However, despite being very popular, they can be tricky to perfect. Many people struggle to get their pakoras perfectly crispy without being soggy or oily. I've developed this recipe especially to help you get them right, and am sharing all my tips to achieve the perfect pakoras.

Read the full blog post below for detailed notes, tips, tricks, photos and videos.

Jump to:

• Video tutorial
• My favorite vegetables to use in these pakoras
• Tips to achieve perfectly crispy pakoras
• Top tips
• Step by step photos
• Frequently asked questions
• Related recipes
• Crispy Vegetable Pakoras Recipe

Video tutorial

Here is a short video tutorial for this recipe that I recommend watching:

My favorite vegetables to use in these pakoras

The beauty of pakoras is that they're very versatile, and you can use any kind of vegetables you like. I personally like to use the following:

• Potatoes. Because pakoras are truly incomplete without potatoes!
• Onion. Onions add a lovely caramelized flavor to pakoras, similar to onion rings
• Spinach. Spinach doesn't add much flavor, but helps make the pakoras very crispy
• Eggplant. This is a personal preference as I love eggplant, but I know many people don't, so they can be substituted with more potatoes

People also add bell pepper, green onion, and different kinds of greens to pakoras.

Tips to achieve perfectly crispy pakoras

Here are my best tips to help you make crispy, crunchy pakoras that aren't oily:

• Cut the vegetables into similarly sized "match sticks". This shape is ideal for pakoras as it increases the surface area, helping them cook faster and become crispier
• Don't add too much besan (chickpea flour). I find that many people add way too much besan to their pakoras, resulting in a thick batter which ends up soaking a lot of oil in the frying process. You only need enough to lightly coat the vegetables. Start with less and add more as needed
• Don't add too much water, either! You want just enough that the vegetables can lightly bind together. Also remember that vegetables release their own moisture as they rest, so it's always best to start with the smallest amount of water and add more as needed
• Use cold water. Cold water helps make the pakoras crispier than room temperature or warm water
• Fry in hot oil. If the oil isn't hot enough, the pakoras will take very long to cook and absorb a lot of oil along the way. At the same time, the oil shouldn't be too hot as it will burn the pakoras
• Don't overcrowd the pan during frying. Although it can be tempting, putting too many pakoras at once will cause them to stick together and take too long to fry, making them oily
• Keep the pakoras on the smaller side. Don't add massive spoons full! You want more surface area
• Drain the oil immediately after frying. Place the pakoras on a wire rack or paper towel to absorb excess oil

Step by step photos

The detailed recipe is provided in the recipe card at the bottom of this post, but let's go over the steps with photos to help you visualize everything.

Cut the vegetables into match sticks:

Mix the besan and spices to make the pakora mix:

Mix in the vegetables. Then add cold water a little at a time until a light batter is formed:

Deep fry in hot oil on medium-high heat until golden brown. Sprinkle with chaat masala, serve and enjoy!

Frequently asked questions

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