Onion Pakoda/Pakora | Kanda Bhaji

Name: Onion Pakoda/Pakora | Kanda Bhaji
Prep time: 5 min
Cook time: 10 min
Ingredients: 2 onions (sliced); 3 tbsp fresh coriander (finely chopped); 1 green chili (finely chopped); 1/2 cup gram flour; 1 tbsp cornflour; 1/2 tsp baking soda; 1/2 tsp turmeric powder; 1/2 tsp cumin powder; 1/4 tsp chili powder; 1/2 tsp ajwain seeds; 1/2 tsp pepper powder; Salt to taste; 1-3 tbsp water

Onion pakoda recipe is a deep fried Indian snack that is crispy and perfect with chutney. They are easy onion fritters that take very little time to make and very few ingredients to make them.

Am I the best person to be caring authentic indian rreipces? I ask myself this all the time considering a lot of my authentic indian food experiences have been from restaurants, dhabas (street stalls) and cookbooks. My Indian food culture is very basic and doesn’t consist of many recipes which is what got me even more interested in learning my cuisine. Now, having said this, pakodas are a right of passage.

I must admit that pakodas aren’t only Indian, they are found all through Pakistan and Bangladesh as well. The flavors might vary a little but overall they are also found there. They are simple to make but there are a couple of ways to make them. However before we get into the recipe let us understand what pakodas are in the first place.

What are onion pakodas?

Pakodas are deep fried pieces of vegetable, that is coated in some form of batter. These pakodas are always deep fried in oil, they are a traditional Indian tea time snack and you can find them most dhabas aka street stalls across the roads in India. Having said this there are different types of pakodas based on the state you are in as they all have various flavors and ingredients that are special to the region. The most commonly found pakodas are onion, potato, chili, spinach and and cabbage.

What is the difference between pakoda and pakora?

Pakoda, Pakodi, Pakora, Bhaji are different names that refer to the same vegetable fritter that is coated in gram flour and deep fried. Most often than not, served with chutney, ketchup and chai.

What is kanda bhaji?

Kanda is onion and Bhaji is pakoda aka deep fried fritter.

What is the difference between onion bhaji and onion pakora?

They are mostly the same. However depending on the region of India you are in, they could be referred to differently. In the wets it is known as bhaji, the south is known as pakodi and north it is known as pakoras.

What is pakora made of?

Pakodas (or pakoras I will use them interchangeably through this write up) are vegetable fritters that are made by coating vegetables in a gram flour aka besan flour batter and deep frying them.

What ingredients do you need to make onion pakodas?

We need onions, fresh coriander, ginger and green chili. For the coating mixture we need besan flour aka gram flour, cornflour, baking soda, turmeric powder, cumin powder, chili powder, ajwain seeds, black pepper powder, salt and water. I have used canola oil to fry these pakodas but you can use corn oil as well.

What equipment do you need to make onion pakodas?

To cut the pakodas we need a chopping board and sharp knife. To mix the pakodas mixture we need a mixing bowl and I like using my hands but you can use a fork. The pakodas must be fried in a deep heavy bottom pan. I use a fork to remove them from the oil before draining the excess oil over paper towel, however you can use a slotted spatula.

How to make these onion pakodas?

We start by heating the oil in a heavy bottom sauce pot. The oil must be filled atleast half way through so the pakodas are deep fried and not shallow fried. Slice the onions length wise and transfer to a mixing bowl. Finely chop the fresh coriander, green chili and ginger, add it to the bowl and scrunch it together with your hands. Now add the rest of the ingredients except for the water into the bowl and mix together using your hands until all the onion is coated in the dry ingredients. Add 1 tbsp water at a time and mix together, don’t add more water unless needed. You want the mixture to be sticky enough to hold together but not liquidy or watery. Using a tbsp worth of the mixture fry them for 2-3 minutes until golden and crispy. Transfer to a paper towel and let the excess oil drain out.

How to serve onion pakodas?

Serve them hot with chutney, ketchup, chili sauce or a little squeeze of lime and sprinkle of chaat masala. You can also serve them with chai as a tea time snack. Mum loves having them in pav (buttery buns) to create an onion pakoda pav situation.

How to store onion pakodas?

Once they are fried they are best consumed immediately as they will not be crispy for longer hence I would recommend frying them when you are ready to serve. You can make the mixture ahead of time and fry them when ready treat. The pakodas can stay crispy if you allow them to cool over a wire rack, they will have a little crunch for a couple of hours after that.

Pro tips for making Pakodas at home –

Make sure to use the cornflour as this makes the pakodas crispy.
Don’t forget to season the mixture with salt and pepper. Season with chili based on your taste.
Do not add too much water as this will make the batter too watery and we don’t want that.
Test the oil before fry them, the oil must be hot – the best way to know if it is hot is to place. Wooden chop sticj/spoon into the oil and it should sizzle or throw a pinch of flours into the oil and it should sizzle before dissolving completely – immediately.
Allow the excess oil to drain on paper towel before serving these pakodas.

Looking for more Indian snack recipes?

Now that we have covered how to make these Onion Pakodas, you can have a look at the recipe video on my socials but let’s get to it.

If you try this recipe out, don’t forget to share it with me on instagram so I can see how it turned out. I’d love nothing more than to chat with you on your cooking/baking.