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Paneer Pakora Recipe (North Indian Style)
4.7 from 32 votes

Paneer Pakora Recipe (North Indian Style)

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.

Prep Time
5 mins
Cook Time
20 mins
Total Time
25 mins
Servings: 3
Calories: 384 kcal
Course: Snacks
Cuisine: Indian

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
    Cup of Yum
  1. Slice paneer into cubes or squares
  2. Add gram flour into a mixing bowl.
  3. Next add turmeric powder, red chili powder, garam masala powder, asafoetida, carom seeds and salt. Mix well.
  4. Pour ⅔ to ¾ cup water in parts and mix well.
  5. Use a wired whisk to mix the batter. Make a medium-thick to medium consistency, flowing and smooth batter without any lumps.
  6. 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
  1. Heat mustard oil or your preferred oil for deep frying in a kadai or pan. Keep the heat to medium or medium-high heat.
  2. 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.
  3. When the oil becomes medium-hot, add the batter coated paneer cubes carefully in the medium-hot oil.
  4. 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.
  5. 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.
  6. 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

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

Nutrition Facts

Serving: 3 Serving

Amount Per Serving

Calories 384

% 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.