Onion Pakoda (Fritters)

Pyaaz Pakoda recipe, Onion Pakoda or Onion Fritters is a popular and classic Indian tea time deep-fried snack. These crispy & crunchy fritters are made with gram flour (chickpea flour), sliced onions and some spices.

Pyaaz Pakoda is a popular snack in Indian homes and it is famous as street food as well. 

Making the most amazing pyaaz pakoda at home is way easier than you think. Just follow the video recipe of Pyaaz Pakoda on this page and I bet you would be surprised with the results even if you are making them for the first time. 

These fritters are very easy to prepare. Thus, making them is the best tea time snack idea when you have guests at home. A spicy and crispy onion pakoda will always be in trend.

This pyaaz pakora recipe makes a delightful evening snack or brunch. Onion Pakoda and a hot cup of rose masala chai is a bliss during the monsoon season. Pakoras are India’s one of the most favored snacks. It is mostly enjoyed with Chai, which is one of the most admired drinks. These two make a great pair. 

Pakoras and chai are best friends. In fact ‘Chai Pakora’ is a favorite phrase amongst tea lovers. Whenever it is raining outside, people say ‘Chai Pakoda ho jaye’. This literally means ‘Shall we have chai pakoda’?  

It would not be an overstatement if I say that the Pyaaz Pakoda recipe is one of the most frequently made tea time snacks in Indian homes. This snack is commonly served along with some coriander chutney / ketchup, and a cup of hot masala chai or coffee.

Not only this snack recipe is made at households, but it is also very famous as street food. Or I should rather say that the Pakoda is one of the most famous snacks or street foods in India. 

This dish ‘Pyaaz Pakoda’ is popular throughout India. Every region has their own variation and name. Some of the other popular names of this recipe are: Onion Pakora or Pakoda, Kanda Bhajji, Kanda Bhajiya or Pyaaj Ke Pakode (Pyaaj Ke Pakore).

All of these regional names simply translate to Onion fritters. 

What is Pakora?

Pakoda or Pakora is a common name for gram flour (chickpea flour) coated deep-fried fritters in the Hindi language. This is a deep-fried snack (fritters) originating from the Indian subcontinent.

Pakoda is one of the most famous snack recipes in India and each Indian state has its own variant. 

However, the method of making pakora is similar in all the Indian states — just some of the ingredients and names are different in each state. The name depends upon the region you are in. Pakora is also called pakode, pakoda, pakodi, fakkura, bhajiya, bhajji, and bhaji. 

Some other awesome pakoda recipes are: Corn Pakora, Gobi Pakora, aloo pakora, Mix Vegetable Pakora, Crispy Aloo Palak Pakora, Potato Stuffed Bread Pakora and Rajasthani Mirchi Vada.

This snack, ‘Pakoda’ is cooked and served everywhere In India. Be it at restaurants, kiosks, street stalls, or even homes — pakodas are prepared everywhere. This amazing snack Pakoda is also one of the most common snack dishes served in Indian restaurants worldwide.

So no matter which part of the globe you are from, you must have encountered this Indian jewel Pakora at least somewhere, maybe at some Indian restaurants. 

How to make Pyaaz Pakoda Recipe?

Making pyaaz pakoda recipe is very simple. For making pyaaz pakoda recipe, first make the batter by combining onions, spices, rice flour and chickpea flour. Once the batter is ready, drop a few spoonfuls of the pakoda batter into the hot oil.

Deep fry on medium high heat until they turn crispy & golden. Pyaaz Pakodas are ready. 

When to make Pyaaz Pakoda Recipe?

You can make and enjoy pyaaz pakoda any time of the year. However, if you are looking for a specific time then these snacks are great for plating up when you want to delight and impress your guests at home. You can make them as a snack or serve them as an appetizer.

Also, these are splendid for a rainy or cold winter day. 

Sizzling hot crispy and spicy pyaaz pakoras with some coconut coriander chutney and a hot cup of coffee or chai is a divine combination.

How to serve Pyaaz Pakoda Recipe?

Pyaaz Pakoda or Onion Pakoda can be served as a tea time or evening snack, brunch, breakfast or even as a starter. They are usually served along with some kind of chutney and hot adrak ilaichi wali chai or coffee. The most popular chutney recipes which go along with onion pakoda are green coriander chutney or tamarind chutney.

They also make a luxury and filler breakfast for a weekend. So if you are planning to serve them as breakfast then serve them with some jalebis. Pakoda and Jalebi make a tempting combination. 

Other than eating pakoras as snack you can also make easy pakora chaat using mix onion pakoda.

Can I shallow fry Pyaaz Pakoda?

Yes, you can definitely shallow fry or pan fry these pakoras. If you don’t like deep-fried dishes then shallow frying is the best option for you. They still taste good.

Can I bake Pyaaz Pakoda?

Yes, it is possible to bake pyaaz pakoda. Baking pakoda is a nice alternative for those who are calorie conscious, or who want to enjoy these pakodas often. 

How to bake Pyaaz Pakoda?

For baking pyaaz pakora, first, preheat the oven to 392°F/200°C. Then scoop out small balls of onion pakoda batter on a parchment-lined baking sheet using your hands or a tablespoon or ice cream scoop. Flatten them using a spoon and brush or spray with some cooking oil.

Bake for 22-25 minutes until pakoras are golden brown and crisp on the outside. Sprinkle baked pakoras with some chaat masala powder and then serve hot with tomato chutney, Homemade Schezwan Sauce, or ketchup or sauces of your choice.

How to freeze Onion Pakoda Recipe?

Freezing onion pakoda or pyaaz pakoda is very simple. You can freeze them in two ways.

**1. Freeze the pyaaz pakoda batter: **

For freezing pyaaz pakoda batter, you simply scoop the batter onto a freezer-safe baking tray. Smoothen them lightly using a spoon and freeze for 2 hours. 

Once frozen, transfer frozen pakodas into a freezer-safe Ziploc bag and freeze them up to 2 months.  Just deep fry frozen onion pakodas right before serving.  

**2. Freeze pyaaz pakodas: **

Once the pakoras are fried, let them cool completely on a cooling rack. Then arrange them in a single layer on a baking tray and freeze for 2 hours. Once pakodas are frozen, transfer them into a freezer-safe container or Ziploc bag. You can freeze them for upto 1 month. 

When you want to enjoy frozen onion pakodas, thaw them at room temperature for 30 minutes and then bake at 180°C pre-heated oven for about 18-20 minutes, or until they turn crispy.

Tips and variations for making Onion Pakoda:

Pyaaz pakoda recipe is very easy and simple to make. This is my tried and tested fail-proof recipe of pyaaz pakoda. Following this onion pakoda recipe with these tips and variations will help you make the best crispy, light and flavourful onions pakoda.

1. The key to making your best crispy onion pakoda is in the slicing. Always slice the onions thinly if you want crispy pakodas. Thin slices cook faster and produce crispy pakodas. Whereas, thick slices make pakoda soft and also they don’t cook thoroughly.

2. Also, make sure that all the slices are uniform. This ensures that the pakoda will cook equally. You can also use a spiralizer.

3. Use the good quality of besan or gram flour for making onion pakoda recipe.  

4. Homemade onion pakoras are usually made with besan (gram flour/chickpea flour) batter. However, If you want to make street style or restaurant-style crispy pakodas then the addition of rice flour is a must. The addition of rice flour not only makes these onion pakodas crispy but also keeps them crispy for long hours. On the other hand, Pakodas only made with besan (gram flour) batter turn softer after cooling. 

5. I have added 2 tablespoons of rice flour to this recipe. If rice flour is not easily available in your region then you can make your rice flour by grinding rice into fine powder. You can also replace rice flour with cornflour.

6. I did not add any herbs to my pakoras. If you want to give a leafy green touch to your onion pakodas, then you can also add some chopped coriander or chopped mint leaves to the batter. Chopped spinach also tastes great in this recipe.

7. The temperature of oil has to be hot enough for frying pakoras. So before dropping the batter make sure that oil is moderately hot. If the oil is not hot enough, the pakoras will soak up oil. If the oil is too hot, the onion pakoda will turn brown from outside, and will not get cooked from inside.

8. Fry onion pakodas on medium-high heat. If you fry pakodas on low heat then they will soak up so much oil. Frying pakodas on high heat will make them cook faster from outside and they wouldn’t cook from inside.

9. If you want a lighter and softer texture of onion pakoda then you can add 1-2 tablespoons of hot oil to the batter.

10. If you want a lighter pakoda which do not absorb too much oil, then add a pinch of baking soda to the batter right before frying,

11. I added some freshly squeezed lemon juice for a slight tang in pakoras. If you want, you can either skip it or substitute it with some amchur powder.

12. You can also customize the batter by adding the spices of your choice.

Onion Pakoda (Fritters) [Recipe]

Onion pakoda are crispy crunchy fritters made with onions mixed in chickpea flour batter and then deep-fried. Making tasty onion pakoda at home is so easy.

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★★★★★
(Rating: 5 from 19 reviews)

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Prep time 🕐	Cook time 🕐	Total time 🕐
10 mins	15 mins	25 mins
Category ☶	Cuisine ♨	Serves ☺
Snacks	Indian	4
Nutrition Info ⊛		Serving size ⊚
284 calories		1 serving

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INGREDIENTS

For Pyaaz Pakoda //

• 4 medium-sized onions, peeled (I have used yellow onions)
• 3 green chilies, chopped
• 1/2 teaspoon turmeric powder (haldi powder)
• 1 teaspoon red chili powder (lal mirch powder), or to taste
• 1 teaspoon chat masala powder
• 1/2 teaspoon garam masala powder
• 1 teaspoon cumin powder (jeera powder)
• Carom seeds (ajwain)
• Lemon juice (neembu ka ras), optional
• Salt to taste
• 2 tablespoons rice flour (chawal ka atta)
• 8 tablespoons gram flour (besan), or as required

For serving //

• Green coriander chutney
• Chaat masala
• Masala chai

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INSTRUCTIONS:

How to make pyaaz pakoda batter //

1. Cut onions into thin slices. Open all the layers using fingers.
2. Transfer them to a mixing bowl.
3. Next add green chilies, salt, red chili powder, turmeric powder, cumin powder, carom (ajwain) seeds, chat masala powder, and lemon juice to the same mixing bowl.
4. Mix well using your fingers. Then use the fingers to squeeze the onions gently without squishing them up.
5. Add besan little by little, and mix everything well to coat the onions with the flour. Use 2 tablespoons besan at a time. The batter should be tight yet moist. So if you think you have added more flour to the batter, then add water 2 tbsps water to make it moist. You can up-to add 3-4 tablespoons of water.
6. Your batter is ready.

How to fry pyaaz pakoda //

1. Heat enough oil for deep frying in a heavy-bottomed pan over high heat. Once the oil is hot enough, turn the heat to medium-high.
2. To check, drop a tiny piece of batter into the hot oil. If it sizzles immediately, the oil is ready.
3. Drop a few spoonfuls of the pakoda batter into the hot oil. Alternatively, you can use fingers for sliding the batter. (Do not overcrowd the pan. Fry only 7-8 pakoras at a time.)
4. Deep fry on medium-high heat until they turn crispy & golden.
5. Take them out using a slotted spoon. Place them onto a paper towel-lined plate to absorb the excess oil. Repeat this process for the rest of the batter.
6. Sprinkle with some chaat masala powder, red chili powder, and drizzle with some lemon juice.
7. Serve pyaaz pakoda hot with green chutney/ketchup and a cup of tea or coffee.

How to bake pyaaz pakoda //

1. Preheat the oven to 392°F/200°C.
2. Scoop out small balls of batter on a parchment-lined baking sheet using your hands or a tablespoon or ice cream scoop.
3. Flatten them using a spoon and brush or spray with some cooking oil.
4. Bake for 22-25 minutes until pakoras are golden brown and crisp on the outside.
5. Sprinkle pakoras with some red chili powder, some chaat masala and then serve hot with garlic tomato chutney or ketchup or sauces of your choice.

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NOTES:

1. The temperature of oil has to be hot enough for frying pakoras. So before dropping the batter make sure that oil is moderately hot. If the oil is not hot enough, the pakoras will soak up oil. If the oil is too hot, the onion pakoda will brown outside but will not get cooked inside.
2. If you want a lighter and softer texture of onion pakoda then you can add 1-2 tablespoons of hot oil to the batter.
3. I did not add any herbs to my pakoras. If you want to give a leafy green touch to your onion pakodas, then you can also add some chopped coriander, or chopped mint leaves to the batter. Chopped spinach also tastes great in this recipe.

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Author: Anupama
Recipe Source Link: https://www.mygingergarlickitchen.com/pyaaz-pakoda-onion-fritters/