Paneer Pakora Recipe (North Indian Style)
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4.7
48 reviews
Excellent
Paneer Pakora Recipe (North Indian Style)
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Paneer Pakora are Indian cottage cheese fritters. These popular fritters from the North Indian cuisine are made with a savory, spiced carom seeds laced gram flour batter which coats the tender paneer cubes. On deep frying a crispy texture from outside encases a soft, moist paneer from within. Paneer Pakoda makes for quick evening snack when served with a side of coriander chutney or ketchup.
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Ingredients
- 125 to 150 grams paneer (Indian cottage cheese)
- 1 cup or (100 grams) gram flour (besan)
- 1 pinch turmeric powder
- ¼ teaspoon red chili powder or cayenne pepper, add as required
- 1 pinch asafoetida (hing)
- 1 to 2 pinches garam masala or add as required
- ½ teaspoon carom seeds (ajwain)
- ⅔ to ¾ cup water or add as required
- salt as required
- mustard oil - for deep frying, as required, * check point no 7 in the notes
- ½ to 1 teaspoon chaat masala - for sprinkling on pakora
Instructions
Preparation
- Slice paneer into cubes or squares
- Add gram flour into a mixing bowl.
- Next add turmeric powder, red chili powder, garam masala powder, asafoetida, carom seeds and salt. Mix well.
- Pour ⅔ to ¾ cup water in parts and mix well.
- Use a wired whisk to mix the batter. Make a medium-thick to medium consistency, flowing and smooth batter without any lumps.
- Depending on the quality of gram flour, the water proportion will vary. You need to get a medium-thick to medium consistency flowing batter. Thus add water bit by bit and mix until you get a perfect consistency.
Making Paneer Pakora
- Heat mustard oil or your preferred oil for deep frying in a kadai or pan. Keep the heat to medium or medium-high heat.
- To check if the oil is medium-hot, add a few drops of batter to it. If the batter droplets comes up on the surface quickly and gradually, the oil is ready for frying pakora.
- When the oil becomes medium-hot, add the batter coated paneer cubes carefully in the medium-hot oil.
- When one side is lightly golden, gently turn over the pakora with a slotted spoon. Continue to fry the paneer pakora until golden and crisp.
- Remove the paneer pakora with a slotted spoon. Place them on paper towels to remove excess oil.Fry the remaining batches of pakoda in the same way.
- Serve Paneer Pakora hot or warm, sprinkled with some chaat masala and paired with coriander chutney or tomato ketchup.
Notes
- Frying at a low heat or in a warm oil will make the pakora absorb more oil resulting in an oily pakora.
- Batter consistency: Make a medium-thick to medium consistency flowing batter. Do not make the batter thin or runny. Batter with a thin consistency will absorb more oil making the paneer pakora soggy. If the batter is too thick, the outer crust will become doughy and dense.
- Soggy oily pakora: Frying at a low heat or in a warm oil will make the pakora absorb more oil resulting in an oily pakora.
- Burnt pakora: Frying in a very hot oil, will make the pakora quickly browned or burnt from outside leaving the inside batter undercooked and raw.
- Paneer: Homemade paneer is the best choice to make paneer pakora. If using frozen paneer follow the directions on the pack.
- Slicing paneer: You can make decorative shapes like round, square, triangle or rectangle from a block of paneer if you plan to make a large batch for a party.
- Spices and seasonings: The spicing in my paneer pakoda recipe is minimal. So there is a balance in the taste and the pakora is not overly spiced or spicy. If you prefer, adjust the ground spices according to your taste preferences.
- * Oil: As I have mentioned above in the post use any oil that has a high smoke point for deep frying.
- Baking & air frying: I did not have great results when baking or air-frying paneer pakora. But you can bake or air fry them at a moderately hot temperature of 180 degrees celsius (356 degrees Fahrenheit). Preheat oven or air-fryer for 10 minutes.
- Leavening ingredient: I have not included baking soda or baking powder. Feel free to add these for a fluffy and crispy paneer pakora. About 1 pinch of baking soda and ¼ teaspoon of baking powder will give you the best results.
Nutrition Information
Show Details
Calories
384kcal
(19%)
Carbohydrates
21g
(7%)
Protein
14g
(28%)
Fat
27g
(42%)
Saturated Fat
8g
(40%)
Polyunsaturated Fat
4g
Monounsaturated Fat
9g
Cholesterol
28mg
(9%)
Sodium
429mg
(18%)
Potassium
294mg
(8%)
Fiber
4g
(16%)
Sugar
4g
(8%)
Vitamin A
114IU
(2%)
Vitamin B1 (Thiamine)
0.2mg
Vitamin B2 (Riboflavin)
0.04mg
Vitamin B3 (Niacin)
1mg
Vitamin B6
0.2mg
Vitamin C
0.1mg
(0%)
Vitamin E
0.4mg
Vitamin K
4µg
Calcium
220mg
(22%)
Vitamin B9 (Folate)
147µg
Iron
2mg
(11%)
Magnesium
57mg
Phosphorus
109mg
Zinc
1mg
Nutrition Facts
Serving: 3Serving
Amount Per Serving
Calories 384 kcal
% Daily Value*
| Calories | 384kcal | 19% |
| Carbohydrates | 21g | 7% |
| Protein | 14g | 28% |
| Fat | 27g | 42% |
| Saturated Fat | 8g | 40% |
| Polyunsaturated Fat | 4g | 24% |
| Monounsaturated Fat | 9g | 45% |
| Cholesterol | 28mg | 9% |
| Sodium | 429mg | 18% |
| Potassium | 294mg | 6% |
| Fiber | 4g | 16% |
| Sugar | 4g | 8% |
| Vitamin A | 114IU | 2% |
| Vitamin B1 (Thiamine) | 0.2mg | |
| Vitamin B2 (Riboflavin) | 0.04mg | |
| Vitamin B3 (Niacin) | 1mg | |
| Vitamin B6 | 0.2mg | |
| Vitamin C | 0.1mg | 0% |
| Vitamin E | 0.4mg | |
| Vitamin K | 4µg | |
| Calcium | 220mg | 22% |
| Vitamin B9 (Folate) | 147µg | |
| Iron | 2mg | 11% |
| Magnesium | 57mg | 14% |
| Phosphorus | 109mg | |
| Zinc | 1mg |
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.
Genuine Reviews
User Reviews
Overall Rating
4.7
48 reviews
Excellent
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