Onion Pakora (Indian onion fritters) are delicious, crispy golden-brown treats made using thinly sliced onions with gram flour (besan) batter flavored with delicious spices for the tastiest Indian snack treat ever!
Jump to:
- WHAT IS ONION PAKORA?
- WHAT'S THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN ONION PAKORA AND ONION BHAJI?
- WHY ARE MY PAKORAS NOT CRISPY?
- 🥘 INGREDIENTS YOU'LL NEED TO MAKE ONION PAKORA AT HOME
- 🔪 HOW TO MAKE ONION PAKORA STEP BY STEP
- 💭 COOKING TIPS
- 📖 DELICIOUS VARIATIONS FOR ONION PAKORA
- 🍲 MORE RAMADAN RECIPES YOU'LL LOVE
- 🌡️ HOW TO STORE ONION PAKORA
- 📖 Recipe
- 💬 Comments
And if you've been looking for the perfect Onion Pakora recipe this Ramadan, then this is the one for you! This Onion Pakora recipe will give you the crispiest and most delicious pakoras you've ever had with special tips to make them perfect every single time.
This recipe features classic flavors that you're going to absolutely love and will want to keep coming back to again and again. Making these delicious snacks at home is super easy and my recipe will make it even easier for you, even if you're making it for the first time at home!
WHAT IS ONION PAKORA?
Onion pakoras are a popular snack in Indian and Pakistani cuisine and are also known as onion pakoda, onion fritters, or onion bhajis. They are made by coating thin slices of onions with a spiced gram flour batter and deep-frying them until they are golden brown and crispy.
The batter is typically made with chickpea flour (also called gram flour or besan), which gives the pakoras a crispy texture, and is seasoned with spices such as cumin, coriander, chili powder, and turmeric. The onions used are usually thinly sliced and mixed into the batter, along with fresh herbs like cilantro or curry leaves.
Onion pakoras are often served as a starter or snack with mint chutney or tamarind chutney, and can also be enjoyed as a side dish with a main meal. They are a delicious and flavorful way to enjoy onions and are loved by many for their crispy texture and spicy kick.
These delicious fried treats are incredibly popular during the month of Ramadan across the Indian sub-continent and are enjoyed for their light and crispy texture. They're also synonymous with the monsoon season in both India and Pakistan and you'll find people making these snacks at home as soon as it starts raining outside.
Pakoras are commonly enjoyed with a cup of kadak tea and are a quintessential Indian snack that you'll absolutely love.
WHAT'S THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN ONION PAKORA AND ONION BHAJI?
Onion pakora and onion bhaji are two names for the same delicious snack! They're known as onion bhaji, or bhajji in South India, and are called Pakoras in Northern India and Pakistan.
WHY ARE MY PAKORAS NOT CRISPY?
There are several reasons why your Onion Pakoda might not have turned out to be as crispy as you'd like. Start by uniformly and thinly slicing all of the ingredients. You won't get the crunchy, crisp texture you want if you mix thick and thin slices.
The temperature of the oil is another important factor to consider. The temperature must be high enough to cook the food but not burn it. For crispier pakoras, heat the oil to about 300 degrees Fahrenheit (150 degrees Celsius).
Another great tip that I've included in my recipe is to sprinkle some salt over the onions, which draws out moisture and will help your onion pakoras be extra crispy and delicious.
I've also included corn meal in this recipe to add a crispier texture to the pakoras. Alternatively, you can use rice flour which will also have the same effect for the tastiest onion pakoras you've ever had.
🥘 INGREDIENTS YOU'LL NEED TO MAKE ONION PAKORA AT HOME
All you need are some simple, pantry staple ingredients to make this delicious Onion Pakora recipe at home. Let's take a look at the main ingredients:
You can scroll down to the recipe card for further details and instructions.
Onions: First we'll need some onions for our onion pakoras! The trick to having crispy pakoras is to slice your onions thinly. You can use a sharp knife or mandolin to do this. I recommend using red onions for a traditional Indian flavor.
Besan: To make the batter, we'll need some besan (gram flour) for this recipe. Besan is also known as chickpea flour, and you can easily find it in the ethnic section of any grocery store.
Corn meal: We'll also be adding some corn meal or rice flour to our batter which will give your onion pakoras a deliciously crispy texture. It's my secret ingredient and I highly recommend adding it for the best results!
Spices: You'll need a handful of basic spices to make these delicious onion pakoras including red chili powder, ground cumin, garam masala, and turmeric.
🔪 HOW TO MAKE ONION PAKORA STEP BY STEP
Making these delicious Indian onion fritters is incredibly easy. Here's how to make it step by step.
The full instructions are in the recipe card below, but let's look at the main steps to making this treat.
Step 1:
Start by thinly slicing your onion. Then sprinkle ¼ teaspoon of salt on the sliced onion and mix well. This will bring some moisture out of the onion and you need that to happen to get crispy onion pakoras. Place the onion on a kitchen towel and pat dry. Keep aside for now.
Step 2:
Next, in a bowl, add the dry ingredients and mix well. Add the onion and mix well. Use your hands and rub the onion with the dry mixture.
Step 3:
Then add water and oil and mix everything well again. The batter will be thick and sticky. Cover and set this aside for 10 to 15 minutes.
Step 4:
Time to fry our onion pakoras! In a deep pan, add oil for deep frying and heat it on medium-high heat. When the oil has heated up, take around one tablespoon from your onion pakora batter mixture and drop it into the oil carefully.
Step 5:
Make sure not to move the pakora until after almost a minute. Keep frying until the color is golden and light brown. Once done, remove from oil and place it on a paper towel.
Your delicious Onion Pakora is ready to be served. Enjoy it with your favorite dip or Indian chutney!
💭 COOKING TIPS
- Make sure to slice the onions as thin and evenly as possible for the best results.
- Heat the oil to the right temperature (300 degrees Fahrenheit/150 degrees Celsius). Too low, and your pakoras will be greasy and won't turn out crispy; too hot, and they will burn.
- Sprinkle some salt over the onions to draw out moisture which will help your onion pakoras become nice and crispy
- Add cornmeal or rice flour to your batter for extra crunch and crispiness.
- Don't forget to fry your pakoras in batches to avoid sticking together in the oil.
- You can serve the pakoras with a range of accompaniments, such as your favorite chutney or some raita. You could also enjoy them with a side salad, or have them as part of a larger Indian-themed meal.
📖 DELICIOUS VARIATIONS FOR ONION PAKORA
Once you make your first batch of onion pakoras, you can start to experiment with different variations. Here are some ideas:
Spicy: Add some chopped green chilies to the batter for a spicy version. You can also add extra red chili powder for the same effect.
Herbs: You can also add some fresh chopped herbs such as cilantro or mint for extra flavor in each bite.
Lighter pakoras: You can also try adding a bit of baking soda to your batter which will make them light and airy.
🍲 MORE RAMADAN RECIPES YOU'LL LOVE
🌡️ HOW TO STORE ONION PAKORA
Pakoras are best enjoyed when freshly fried. But there are ways to store it too! Once your onion pakoras have cooled down, you can store them in an airtight container for up to two days.
They also freeze well if you want to make a bigger batch and save some for later. To reheat the frozen pakoras, just pop them in the oven at 350 degrees Fahrenheit/180 degrees Celsius until they're nice and crispy again.
📖 Recipe
Onion Pakora Crispy Fried Onion
Ingredients
- 1 large onion thinly sliced
- 1 ¼ cup gram flour besan
- 1 tablespoon rice flour
- 1 ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon chili powder
- 1 teaspoon cumin powder
- ½ teaspoon garam masala
- ½ teaspoon turmeric powder
- 4 teaspoon oil this goes in the batter
- ½ cup minus 2 tablespoon water
- Oil to deep fry the pakoras
Instructions
- Sprinkle ¼ teaspoon of salt on the sliced onion and mix well. This will brings some moisture out of the onion and you need that to happen to get crispy onion pakoras. Place the onion on a kitchen towel and pat dry. Keep aside.
- In a bowl, add the dry ingredients and mix well. Add the onion and mix well. Use your hands and rub the onion with the dry mixture.
- Add the water and oil and mix well. The batter will be sticky. Cover and keep aside for 10 to 15 minutes.
- In a deep pan, add oil to deep fry, keep it on medium high and when the oil is hot, take around one tablespoon from the mixture and drop in the oil.
- Do not move the pakora until after almost a minute. Keep frying until the color is golden and light brown. Remove from oil and place on paper towel.
- Enjoy with your favorite dip. I have tried plain yogurt and it tasted good, but of course, it is best with Indian chutney.
Notes
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- Make sure to slice the onions as thin and evenly as possible for the best results.
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- Heat the oil to the right temperature (300 degrees Fahrenheit/150 degrees Celsius). Too low, and your pakoras will be greasy and won't turn out crispy; too hot, and they will burn.
-
- Sprinkle some salt over the onions to draw out moisture which will help your onion pakoras become nice and crispy.
-
- Add cornmeal or rice flour to your batter for extra crunch and crispiness.
- Instead of garam masala, you can go for curry powder.
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- Don't forget to fry your pakoras in batches to avoid sticking together in the oil.
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- You can serve the pakoras with a range of accompaniments, such as your favorite chutney or some raita. You could also enjoy them with a side salad or have them as part of a larger Indian-themed meal.
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