Smelling a batch of freshly fried pakoras is like being a moth to a flame. Moreish finger food that’s perfect for snacking on and easy to make.
Serves
A large batch for all the family or a small party (approx 70 pakoras, depending on how large you like them!)
Prep Time – under 30 mins
Cooking Time – 40 mins
V, DF & GF
Ingredients
6 red potatoes – quartered and thinly sliced
12 brown onions – halved and sliced
4 bunches of spinach (approx 700g) – roughly chopped
60g fresh coriander – coarsley chopped
60g fresh fenugreek – trim stalks & coarsley chop
50g fresh ginger – chopped into small chunks
6 green chillies
3 tbsp cumin seeds
2 tbsp crushed coriander seeds
1.5tbsp garam masala
1tbsp salt
200g – 300g Chickpea flour
Vegetable oil for frying
Method
Prepare the spinach, potatoes and onions as above and place into a large mixing bowl together with the coriander, salt, garam masala and cumin seeds.
Using a blender or grinder, grind the ginger and green chillies into a rough paste. Add the paste, coriander and fenugreek into the bowl and give everything a good mix.
For the batter, add chickpea flour to the bowl, try 200g to start and add a tbsp of cold water at a time – until the mixture is like a stiff cake batter, covering the back of a spoon. If it’s too thin, add more flour.
To get the party started, heat vegetable oil in a wok (or a deep heavy bottomed frying pan). To check when the oil is at the correct temperature, drop half a teaspoon of the mixture into the oil until it sizzles and turns light brown.
(AUNTIE SAYS: DO NOT LEAVE HOT OIL UNATTENDED, OTHERWISE YOU’LL BE IN BIG TROUBLE).
When the little bit of mixture is golden brown, take it out with a slotted spoon, and taste test it for the amount of salt and heat of the chillies – add more if necessary to the mixture. Now’s the time.
If you’re happy with it, with your hands, take a rough tablespoon of the batter mixture and carefully place into the oil in batches and fry for about 5 minutes – allow the pakoras to cook all over, turning them over in the oil with a slotted spoon. Fry them until they turn a light golden brown all over.
Put onto kitchen paper to soak up any excess oil and serve immediately.
Enjoy hot and fresh – dunking each pakora into Auntie’s Tamarind Sauce.
