Crispy Onion & Potato Vegetable Pakora

⏱ 40 min · Serves 4

Shatteringly crisp on the outside, soft and spiced within, these gram-flour fritters are the ultimate rainy-day snack. Fry them in small batches and eat them hot with mint chutney and a squeeze of lemon.

Per serving: 395 kcal · 11.0g protein · 47.0g carbs · 18.0g fat

Ingredients

• 150g gram flour (besan)
• 2 tbsp rice flour or cornflour
• 1 tsp ground cumin
• 1 tsp ground coriander
• 1/2 tsp ground turmeric
• 1/2 tsp chilli powder, or to taste
• 1/4 tsp carom seeds (ajwain), optional
• 1 tsp salt
• 1/4 tsp baking powder
• 2 medium onions, thinly sliced
• 1 medium potato (about 200g), peeled and cut into thin matchsticks
• 100g cauliflower, broken into small florets and thinly sliced
• 1 handful fresh coriander, chopped
• 1 green chilli, finely chopped
• 2.5cm piece ginger, grated
• about 120ml cold water
• 1 litre sunflower or vegetable oil, for frying
• 1 lemon, cut into wedges
• Mint chutney or mango chutney, to serve

Method

1. In a large bowl whisk together the gram flour, rice flour, cumin, coriander, turmeric, chilli powder, ajwain, salt and baking powder.
2. Add the sliced onions, potato matchsticks, cauliflower, fresh coriander, green chilli and ginger. Toss well with your hands so every piece is coated in the dry flour mix, then leave for 5 minutes — the vegetables will release some moisture.
3. Splash in the cold water a little at a time, mixing until you have a thick batter that just clings to the vegetables. It should be scoopable, not runny; add water by the tablespoon if needed.
4. Heat the oil in a deep, heavy pan to 175C (a pinch of batter should sizzle and rise within a few seconds). Never fill the pan more than halfway with oil.
5. Drop in rough dessertspoon-sized clumps of the mixture, 5 or 6 at a time. Keep them craggy — the loose edges go the crispiest.
6. Fry for 4-5 minutes, turning once or twice, until deep golden and crunchy. Lift out with a slotted spoon onto kitchen paper and sprinkle with a little salt.
7. Let the oil come back up to temperature between batches. Serve the pakora piping hot with lemon wedges and chutney.