Pakoras are one of the most loved snacks in India and are crispy, flavoursome, and pleasantly satisfying. They are made by dipping vegetables or meat into a seasoned chickpea flour-besan, batter, and then deep fried to golden perfection enjoyed at times of monsoon rains or as an evening tea-time snack. The batter of chickpea flour is seasoned with turmeric, cumin, coriander, and chillies which gives the desired earthy and spicy flavours to the pakoras. Pakoras can be prepared from a variety of ingredients, ranging from potatoes and onions to spinach and cauliflower, even paneer or chicken. The texture and the flavour are entirely different for each ingredient-pakora-onion pakoras are crispy with a hint of sweetness while potato pakoras are soft inside but crisp on the outside. Deep frying gives the pakoras their signature crunch as the outer layer turns to become crispy, while the inside remains soft and tender. Pakoras often come with chutneys, like mint or tamarind chutney, and sometimes pickled carrots. In some cases, they are sprinkled with chaat masala, which makes them spicy and tart to taste. Pakoras are best enjoyed hot and fresh, and the indulgent treat can be savoured over a cup of hot chai, or tea. Pakoras have such versatility - that they can be easily adapted regarding the vegetables, spices, or any protein involved in them, and thus are enjoyed in different regions of India as a snack. Whether eaten out as street food or prepared at home, every pakora is juicy and crunchy- bursts of flavour and texture in every single bite.

• 250 gms potatoes
• 1 cup besan
• 1/2 tsp turmeric powder
• 1/2 tsp red chilli powder
• 1/2 tsp ajwain
• 1 pinch hing
• Oil
• Tomato ketchup
• 1/4 tsp baking soda

• Start by washing 250 gms of potatoes, cleaning off dirt and impurities from them.
• Wash them after peeling using a peeler or knife once the potatoes are peeled, then slice them into thinly rounded slices, making sure that they are uniform to ensure proper and uniform cooking, an essential requirement for any successful recipe of pakora.
• Place the sliced potatoes in water to prevent oxidation. Oxidation is a reason why the potato slices lose their crispiness. So this preparation prepares the potato slices for battering without letting them lose their crispiness.
• Add 1 cup of gram flour (besan), red chilli powder, 1/2 Tsp, of turmeric powder, 1/2 teaspoon ajwain (carom seeds), a pinch of asafoetida (hing), and salt to taste in a big mixing bowl. The addition of all these spices will make your pakoras taste traditional.
• Add 1/4 teaspoon of baking soda which makes pakoras light and crispy upon frying.
• Mix all the dry ingredients very well.
• Add water to the dry mixture slowly and whisk all the time. The requirement is to form the batter smooth and thick. The batter should be thick, so it coats the potato slices evenly but not too thick so that it becomes heavy.
• Whisk until the lumps are removed and the batter is smooth.
• Pour oil into a deep frying pan or kadai, and fill up half of the cooking pan with oil.
• Now, place the pan over medium heat and let the oil warm up. To check if the oil is at the right temperature for frying, add a small batter drop to the oil. When it sizzles immediately and comes to the surface, then the oil is ready.
• Drain the water from the sliced potatoes in a bowl and pat them dry with a clean kitchen towel. The reason for drying is to prevent splattering of water when fried and ensure the batter sticks to them better.
• Insert a slice of potato in this readymade batter.
• Coat this slice all over very well and suspend the slice above the bowl for a second so that any extra batter drips back into the bowl.
• Slide the coated potato slice into the hot oil very gently. Then do a few more slices but do not overcrowd the pan; otherwise, it could drop the temperature of the oil and soggy the pakoras.
• Fry in batches so that they are given sufficient space in which to cook evenly.
• Fry the pakoras till they turn golden brown and crispy.
• Keep on turning the slices with a slotted spoon occasionally, till they have equal cooking on both sides.
• Fry in batches of 3-5 minutes, depending on how thick the potato slices are.
• When the pakoras are golden brown, use a slotted spoon to take them out of the hot oil.
• Before transferring them onto a plate, let the excess oil drain back into the pan. Paper towels on the plate would suck the rest of the oil from the pakoras, making them lighter and crispier.
• Continue piling the remaining potato slices in the batter and pan-frying them in batches just the same.
• The temperature of the oil should be kept constant in the entire process to achieve crispy pakoras.
• Once you have fried all the pakoras and drained them, they can be transferred onto a serving plate.
• Aloo Pakoras are best appreciated hot and crispy. Serve with a dollop of green chutney for a fresh zesty tang or tomato ketchup for a sweet savoury attraction.
• Enjoy your bites.