Aloo Pakora recipe is a crispy, delicious snack which is served with green chutney, chilies, dry garlic chutney and hot a cup of chai (tea). Always had them during monsoon at roadside stalls with friends and also homemade by mom. Somehow I always associate warm snacks like vada pav, pakoras etc with rains and the picture is perfect with a hot cup of tea. Also Aloo Pakora / bhajji is one of the most famous and tempting streetfood of Mumbai. You would find these pakoras sold across all street, corners, hawks and sweetmart of India and Mumbai.
Potatoes are called as aloo in India and even batata in India. This pakora or bhajji is made across all Indian households in different styles and ways. Mostly they are served with green chutney, dry red garlic chutney or tomato sauce. Some also serve them with shallow fried green chilies.
These aloo pakoras are crunchy from out and soft from within. The only challenge to make these pakoras are you have to slice the potatoes into thin rounds as thin as you could get. Also the batter has to be on the thicker side. Adding cooking soda is optional but adding some rice flour helps the pakoras to be crispy. Also the oil has to be hot before you add the batter.
Yesterday I had made mung dal khichdi, cabbage fritters and aloo pakoras. My hubby ate with no fuss and the pakoras got disappeared in a matter of few mins. You could make out how much we love pakoras at home. I usually make a lot of fritters with greens like spinach, fenugreek and sometimes even with ajwain leaves and spring onion pakoras.
Generally when you make anything from potatoes (aloo) in India it’s always accompanied with asofoetida (hing) or some carom seed (ajwain / ova). Reason being it balance the the potatoes in such a way that it doesn’t gives gas or acidity problems. So always add a pinch of hing or ajwain seed when you cook potatoes. Potatoes are also happy and our stomach also happy 😉
If you are fond of pakoras then do check kale pakoras, corn pakoras, mix veg pakoras, onion pakoras, moong dal bhajiya, kanda bhajji pav, dil leaves pakora and spinach fritters.
Aloo Pakora Recipe below:
- 2.5-3 cups of oil for deep frying + 1tbsp oil to put in the batter
- 1 big sized potato peeled and sliced into thin round
- 1 cup gram flour (besan) sifted
- 2 tbsp rice flour
- 1 tsp carom seed (ajwain)
- 1/4th tsp turmeric (haldi)
- 1 tsp red chili powder
- 1 tsp dry mango powder optional (amchur)
- 2 tbsp chopped coriander leaves
- 1 tsp cooking soda (optional)
- 1/4th cup water or as required
- salt as required
- Sift the gram flour, rice flour, cooking soda and baking powder.
- Add carom seed, turmeric powder, chili powder, coriander leaves, amchur powder and coriander leaves.
- Now add water as required. Also add 1 tbsp oil.
- Give a nice whisk until the batter is smooth and lump free. Ensure the batter has to be on the thicker side should be of pouring consistency like a dosa-idli batter.
- Place oil in a deep pan wait until oil is hot. Reduce the heat to medium.
- Dip each round slice of potato coating with the batter from all sides. Gently slide them into the hot oil.
- Repeat the same with the rest of potato slices. Fry just few at a time don’t cluster with too many.
- Fry the pakoras until they are crisp and golden brown from both sides.
- Place them on absorbent napkin to absorb excess oil. Fry the pakoras in small batches on medium heat.
- Serve aloo pakoras hot with dry red garlic chutney, fried chilies, green chutney or tomato sauce.
Sowmya says
Lovely shot.. Nice looking crispies.
maria says
Thankyou so much Sowmya 🙂
Meenu says
Tried aloo bhajji ur style was yummm…thanks my kids loved them could u also share vangi bhajji recipe please.
maria says
Pleased to know this Meenu thankyou so much for your positive words glad your kids enjoyed them 🙂 check this link fr vangi bhajji or baingan pakora recipe.