Sindhi Pakoras for Diwali
Fried pakoras in a bowl alongside a MadeIn kadai and the book WITH LOVE & MASALAS by Barkha Cardoz
This recipe is a preview from With Love & Masalas: Everyday Indian Recipes from My Kitchen to Yours. Get it on November 19th from Burlap & Barrel, or click here for more sneak peaks!
The above kadai—a round-bottomed pan used in many Indian recipes—was just released by Made In. It’s got an incredible weight to it and it cooks and cleans beautifully! Get yours here.
These twice-fried crunchy fritters were a staple snack for Barkha while growing up in India—especially during monsoon season, when she’d have them with a cup of hot masala chai to warm up on rainy, damp days.
We’ve added our fiery Kashmiri Masala to bring even more flavor to the otherwise subtle, crunchy pakoras. The dry pomegranate seeds add tartness. If you don’t have them, leave them out or swap with ½ tsp amchur powder. To serve, sandwich a few pakoras with your favorite chutneys in a roll or rolled-up roti. Or serve as a snack with dipping sauces like cilantro mint chutney or ketchup.
INGREDIENTS:
A Made In kadai filled with crunchy pakoras
2 cups besan (chickpea flour)
1-2 tsp Kashmiri Masala (depending on how much you like heat!)
1 Tbsp coarsely crushed dry pomegranate seeds
1 Tbsp coarsely crushed coriander seeds
1 tsp salt, plus more to taste
¼ tsp baking soda
½ cup chopped onions
1 tsp chopped serrano chilies
¼ cup chopped cilantro (leaves and tender stems)
Water, as needed
4-6 cups neutral neutral cooking oil for frying
DIRECTIONS:
In a large mixing bowl, mix all the dry ingredients together. Then add the onions, serrano chili, and cilantro and mix well.
Add small quantities of water bit by bit, mixing until it forms a thick batter—it should hold all the ingredients together like a thick but pourable brownie batter. Taste and add more salt if desired. (If you let the batter sit, the flour will absorb the moisture and it won’t taste as flavorful.)
Layer a cooling rack or baking sheet with paper towels and set aside. Then set a large, deep heavy-bottomed frying pan on medium heat. (Use a round-bottomed kadai if you’ve got one!) Add the oil and bring up to a frying temperature—around 375°.
Use your hands to gather about ¼ cup of batter and gently drop it into the oil. (It should be lumpy—don’t flatten it out.) Fry until golden brown on each side—about 3 minutes. Then remove to the towel-linked rack or sheet. You can fry a few at a time—just make sure the cooking oil temperature doesn’t drop too much and that it comes back up to heat between additions.
Once all the batter has fried and cooled, break the pakoras into 1-inch pieces. Fry these smaller pieces again until a medium golden brown color—about 2-3 minutes. While they’re frying, put fresh paper towels on your sheet/rack. Move the refried pakoras here to drain off excess oil.
Taste a piece and sprinkle with more salt if desired. Then serve hot with chutney or ketchup. Or—as I like to eat them—with both!
If you make the recipe, share it with us on Instagram!
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