4.7 from 14 votes
Cauliflower Pakoda | How to make Gobi Pakora
Cauliflower Pakoda or Gobi Pakora are crispy and tasty cauliflower fritters. In this North Indian recipe marinated cauliflower florets are coated with savory gram flour batter and deep fried. They make for a wonderful evening vegan snack.
Prep Time
25 mins
Cook Time
25 mins
Total Time
50 mins
Servings:
4
Calories:
318 kcal
Course:
Appetizer, Snacks
Cuisine:
Indian
Ingredients
Main ingredients
- 1 cauliflower phool gobi, medium sized
- 2 cups gram flour (besan)
- ½ tablespoon ginger garlic paste
- ½ teaspoon carom seeds (ajwain)
- ½ teaspoon red chili powder or cayenne pepper or paprika
- ¼ teaspoon garam masala
- 1 pinch asafoetida powder (hing)
- 1 pinch turmeric powder (ground turmeric)
- 2 to 3 pinch baking soda (or baking powder) - optional
- water - add as required to make a thick flowing batter
- neutral cooking oil any high smoking neutral flavored oil or mustard oil for deep frying, generic cooking oil
- rock salt or regular salt as required, edible and food grade
For garnish and flavoring
- 1 teaspoon chaat masala to sprinkle
- ½ teaspoon lemon juice optional, to be sprinkled
- 1 or 2 tablespoon Coriander leaves cilantro, chopped, for garnish
Instructions
Preparation
- In a pan, Boil enough water with salt.
- Break or chop the cauliflower in medium sized florets.
- Rinse them well and add them to the boiling water.
- Switch off the flame and let the cauliflower florets be immersed in the water for 10 to 12 minutes.
- Drain the water from the cauliflower florets. In a pan marinate the cauliflower with red chili powder, turmeric powder, ginger-garlic paste, garam masala powder. Mix very well and keep aside for 8 to 10 minutes.
Cup of Yum
Making cauliflower pakoda
- In another bowl, make a smooth batter with the besan/gram flour, asafoetida, baking soda or baking powder, salt and water.
- Next add carom seeds to the batter and mix well.
- Heat oil in a kadai or deep fryer. You can use any neutral tasting oil with a high smoking point.
- Take each marinated cauliflower and dip in the batter.
- Coat each floret evenly with the batter and add them carefully in the medium hot oil.
- When one side becomes slightly crisp and the batter firms up then turn over with a slotted spoon and continue to fry the other side.
- Fry till the cauliflower fritters are crisp and golden evenly. You will have to turn the pakora a couple of times for even frying.
- With a slotted spoon remove the pakoda and drain as much oil as possible. Then keep them on paper towels to remove excess oil.
- Serve the cauliflower pakoda hot or warm with any green chutney or sauce, sprinkled with chaat masala, lemon juice and chopped coriander leaves. You can also have them with roti or stuff them between bread slices or dinner rolls.
Notes
- You can skip the blanching step of cauliflower. It is mainly done to remove the worms or insects, if any, from the vegetable.
- Make sure that you make a medium consistency batter. Don’t make the batter thin, as it will absorb a lot of oil while frying.
- Also, don’t make a very thick batter as the pakora texture can become doughy and dense.
- You can use sunflower oil, peanut oil, mustard oil or any neutral flavored oil that has a high smoking temperature.
- Another way to make this Gobi Pakora is without marinating. Just mix everything except the cauliflower and prepare the batter. Dip the cauliflower florets in the spiced batter and fry the pakoras in medium hot oil.
- If you want to make these Cauliflower Fritters gluten-free, then skip adding asafoetida (hing) or use gluten free asafoetida.
- This recipe of Gobi Pakora can easily be reduced or scaled up to make a small or big batch.
Nutrition Information
Calories
318kcal
(16%)
Carbohydrates
35g
(12%)
Protein
13g
(26%)
Fat
14g
(22%)
Saturated Fat
2g
(10%)
Polyunsaturated Fat
2g
(12%)
Monounsaturated Fat
10g
(50%)
Cholesterol
1mg
(0%)
Sodium
797mg
(33%)
Potassium
828mg
(18%)
Fiber
9g
(36%)
Sugar
8g
(16%)
Vitamin A
96IU
(2%)
Vitamin B1 (Thiamine)
1mg
Vitamin B2 (Riboflavin)
1mg
Vitamin B3 (Niacin)
1mg
Vitamin B6
1mg
Vitamin C
70mg
(78%)
Vitamin E
5mg
Vitamin K
24µg
Calcium
38mg
(4%)
Vitamin B9 (Folate)
82µg
Iron
13mg
(72%)
Magnesium
23mg
(6%)
Phosphorus
65mg
Zinc
1mg
Nutrition Facts
Serving: 4 Serving
Amount Per Serving
Calories 318
% Daily Value*
| Calories | 318kcal | 16% |
| Carbohydrates | 35g | 12% |
| Protein | 13g | 26% |
| Fat | 14g | 22% |
| Saturated Fat | 2g | 10% |
| Polyunsaturated Fat | 2g | 12% |
| Monounsaturated Fat | 10g | 50% |
| Cholesterol | 1mg | 0% |
| Sodium | 797mg | 33% |
| Potassium | 828mg | 18% |
| Fiber | 9g | 36% |
| Sugar | 8g | 16% |
| Vitamin A | 96IU | 2% |
| Vitamin B1 (Thiamine) | 1mg | |
| Vitamin B2 (Riboflavin) | 1mg | |
| Vitamin B3 (Niacin) | 1mg | |
| Vitamin B6 | 1mg | |
| Vitamin C | 70mg | 78% |
| Vitamin E | 5mg | |
| Vitamin K | 24µg | |
| Calcium | 38mg | 4% |
| Vitamin B9 (Folate) | 82µg | |
| Iron | 13mg | 72% |
| Magnesium | 23mg | 6% |
| Phosphorus | 65mg | |
| Zinc | 1mg |
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.