In Ramadhan, certain fried foods is almost a must. Every year during this month of fasting, my daughters and I discuss healthy eating habits and refraining from fried foods. And of course, that never does happen. When I attempt to recall my earliest memories of breaking my first few fasts (probably the age of 11 or 12), Samosas, Pakoras, Egg Rolls, Shammi Kabobs, Dahi Badey, Cholay (and the list goes on and on) were all an integral part of a complete, formal and almost necessary daily Iftar menu (Yes, my mom really did spoil our taste buds from the start, Alhumdullilah!). It is definitely not the healthiest menu, but may I say, each item is crave-worthy and absolutely delicious! I have learned many Pakorey recipes from my mom, and again, technique is paramount here. The basic batter and combination of a few key ingredients, when prepared correctly, allows for inclusion of several other additives to change the taste profile to your liking (for example, Spinach Pakora, Potato Pakora, Chicken Pakora and numerous other fusions!)
I usually do not include all purpose flour (‘Maida’) as part of the batter for my Pakorey recipe but I recently decided to experiment with this adjunct. So I added some flour to the uniform gram flour (‘Besan’) mixture and there is definitely an awesome affect on the texture-the Pakorey become even crispier! The heat at which these fritters are fried and the duration is also crucial, to ensure a perfectly crisp outside and fully cooked potatoes and inner core.
Potato and Onion Fritters – Pakorey
Ingredients
- 2 medium potatoes *peeled and thinly sliced
- 2 medium onions *thinly sliced
- 1.5 cups gram flour *'Besan'
- 1/2 cup all purpose flour *'Maida'
- 1 cup fresh coriander leaves *rinsed, stemmed and chopped
- 1 tsp Kosher salt *or to taste
- 1 tsp fresh garlic paste
- 1 tsp fresh ginger paste
- 1 tsp Kashmiri Lal Mirch
- 2 tsp Carom seeds *'Ajwain'
- 3/4 tsp turmeric powder
- 2 tsp coriander seeds *coarsely ground powder
- 1-1.5 cups water *or as needed
- Canola oil *as needed, for deep frying
Instructions
- In a large mixing bowl, add the thinly sliced potatoes and onions. Mix to combine. Add the fresh garlic and ginger pastes, add all the spices (Kashmiri Lal Mirch, turmeric powder, coarsely ground coriander powder, Kosher salt and Carom seeds). Mix well to incorporate all spices into onion/potato mix. Now add the gram flour and all purpose flour and mix well. Gradually add water, as needed, and mix well to form a thick batter (approximately 1.5 cups of water total). Add the freshly chopped coriander leaves and gently mix to combine. Set aside for at least 30 minutes.
- Heat Canola oil in a wok on medium high heat. When oil is hot, turn heat to medium and add small portions of batter (I make small mounts with my fingers and carefully place in hot oil-approximately 1.5 tbsp of batter per Fritter). Place approximately 5-6 fritters per batch (do not overcrowd wok to ensure crispy Pakoras). Fry for approximately 5 minutes, then turn and fry other side for an additional 5 minutes. *If oil is too hot and fritters and changing color too soon, slightly lower heat, as required, to ensure a golden color on the outside and fully cooked through on the inside. Carefully remove fritters and place on paper-towel lined sheet to remove all excess oil.
- Super crispy and yummy Onion and Potato Pakorey are now read to serve. Taste divine dipped in some Tamarind chutney and with a cup of Chai. Enjoy. Nosh Farma'aiye!