Pakora are the star of the show at food carts on bustling street corners in Northern India and Pakistan. A savory, crunchy, deeply seasoned fritter, the pakora uses garbanzo flour to get a nutty crunch. The best part about these fritters is the variety of textures and flavors you can get in one bite—sweet, chewy corn; grated threads of starchy potatoes; and dense bites of cauliflower. Traditionally served with chutney and pickles, they are equally tasty dunked in Sweet Chili Sauce.
Ingredients
SWEET CHILI SAUCE
- VEGETABLE OR CANOLA OIL, FOR FRYING
- 1¼ CUPS GARBANZO FLOUR
- ½ TEASPOON BAKING POWDER
- FINE SEA SALT
- 1 CUP COLD WATER
- 1½ CUPS CHOPPED OR SLICED VEGETABLES, SUCH AS
- WHOLE CORN KERNELS, GRATED CARROTS, VERY
- THINLY SLICED POTATOES, SLICED ZUCCHINI, AND
- CAULIFLOWER FLORETS
- 1 SMALL TO MEDIUM YELLOW ONION, VERY THINLY
- SLICED
- 1 SMALL HOT CHILE PEPPER, SUCH AS JALAPEÑO,
- STEMMED, SEEDED, AND MINCED
- ONE ½-INCH PIECE OF FRESH GINGER, PEELED AND
- FINELY CHOPPED
- 2 TABLESPOONS CHOPPED FRESH CILANTRO
- 1 GARLIC CLOVE, MINCED
How to Make It
- ❶ Prepare the sweet chili sauce.
- ❷ Set up a landing station next to your frying area: place a wire rack on a baking sheet and have a spider or slotted spoon handy.
- ❸ Fill a large, heavy-bottomed pot with enough oil to fully submerge the fritters. Heat the oil to 360°F over medium heat. The ideal frying temperature is actually 350°F, but the oil will cool slightly when you add the fritters. Heating the oil takes longer than you might anticipate.
- ❹ While your oil is heating, mix the garbanzo flour, baking powder, and a large pinch of salt in a large bowl. Add the water and stir to incorporate. Mix in the vegetables, onion, and chile pepper. Add the ginger, cilantro, and garlic and stir to combine.
- ❺ When the oil reaches 360°F, use a large serving spoon or ladle to scoop up about ¼ cup of the battered vegetables. Press the spoon against the side of the bowl to allow any excess batter to drip off, and then gently drop the fritter into the hot oil.
- ❻ The size of your pot determines how many pakora you can fry at a time. Just make sure that all the fritters are approximately the same size and that the pot isn’t too crowded; otherwise they will not cook evenly. Adjust the heat as needed to maintain a consistent oil temperature of 350°F.
- ❼ Do not disturb the fritters for about 30 seconds, until they form a crust. Once the fritters are golden brown around the edges, use the spider or slotted spoon to flip them. Cook for a total of 1½ to 2 minutes, until golden brown all over, then transfer to the prepared rack and season with salt.
- ❽ Serve hot with the sweet chili sauce.
