Iftar and rainy days · 30 minutes
Pakora Recipe (Crispy Pakistani Vegetable Pakoray)
Thick batter. Rice flour for crunch. Medium oil.
Recipe by Farwa ZeeshanTested in the NineFoods home kitchenPakoray are the fritters fried in every Pakistani home at iftar and on rainy days. They go soft and oily when the batter is runny. The fix is coating the vegetables in salt first to draw out water, adding besan with very little water, a spoon of rice flour for crunch, and frying in medium oil.
The 3 laws of pakora
Why this recipe works
Add water first
Vegetable juice makes the batter.
Besan only
Extra crunch.
Hot oil
Cooks through and crisps.
Shopping and prep list
Ingredients
Pakoray
The NineFoods pakora gauge
Is the batter right?
Lift a spoonful.
Method · 2 stages
Step by step
Mix
- Toss vegetables with salt and spices; rest 10 minutes.
- Add besan, rice flour and soda; add water only if needed. Use the gauge above.
Fry
- Drop rough spoonfuls in medium oil; fry until deep golden.
Chef's troubleshooter
What went wrong? Pick the symptom
Why
Runny batter.
Fix next time
Thicken with besan.
Why
Oil too cool.
Fix next time
Heat oil to medium.
Why
Too big or too hot.
Fix next time
Small pakoray, medium heat.
Why
Too much besan.
Fix next time
Loosen slightly.
Swap smart
Ingredient roles and substitutes
| Ingredient | Job in the dish | Swap with |
|---|---|---|
| Besan | Batter | No real substitute |
| Rice flour | Crunch | Cornflour |
| Vegetables | Body | Cauliflower, chicken or paneer |
| Frying | Cooking | Air fryer, sprayed, 190 C |
After the meal
Serve, store, reheat
Serve with
Imli and green chutney, and chai.
Store
Best fresh.
Reheat
Hot oven or air fryer 4 minutes.
How we tested this recipe
Tested in a home kitchen, not a studio
Recipe developed and tested by Farwa Zeeshan, who cooks and tests every NineFoods recipe on a regular home stove.
- Cooked from start to finish with the exact quantities above for 6 servings, using both the metric and US cup measures.
- Every one of the 2 stages was timed at the stove; heat levels and the 'look for' cues are what we saw in the pan.
- The doneness check (is the batter right) and the troubleshooter come from batches that went wrong, and how we fixed them.
- Reheating and storage advice was checked on leftovers, not guessed.
Keep cooking
Related recipes and guides
Quick answers
Pakora FAQ
Why are my pakoray soft?
The batter was too thin or the oil too cool.
What makes pakora crispy?
Thick batter, a little rice flour and medium-hot oil.
Can I make them ahead?
Fry half, then refry just before serving.
Can I air fry pakora?
Yes, but they are less crisp.