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Onion Pakora
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Crispy Onion Pakora (Street-Style Pyaz Ke Pakode)
Prep Time
15 mins
Cook Time
15 mins
Total Time
30 mins
 

OnionPakora is one of the famous tea time snack made with besan flour and onions as main ingredients. They are crisp from outside and soft from inside.

Course: Appetizer, Snack
Cuisine: Indian
Diet: Vegan, Vegetarian
Keyword: Crispy Onion Fritters, Onion Pakora Recipe
Servings: 4
Calories: 60 kcal
Author: Uppada Lakshmi
Ingredients
  • 3 large Red Onions approx. 300g, thinly sliced (2 mm)
  • 1 cup Gram Flour Besan (100g)
  • ¼ cup Rice Flour 35g
  • 2 Green Chillies finely chopped
  • 1 tsp Fresh Ginger grated
  • 1 sprig Curry Leaves 10–12 leaves, torn
  • 2 tbsp Fresh Coriander Leaves chopped
  • ½ tsp Carom Seeds Ajwain, crushed
  • 1 tsp Kashmiri Red Chilli Powder
  • ¼ tsp Turmeric Powder
  • 1 pinch Asafoetida Hing
  • 1 tsp Salt or to taste
  • 1 tbsp Hot Oil for mixing into flour
  • Cooking Oil for deep frying
  • 1 –2 tbsp Water only if strictly necessary
Instructions
  1. Prep Onions: Place sliced onions in a wide bowl and separate the layers with your fingers into individual ribbons.
  2. Sweat Onions: Add salt, chillies, ginger, curry leaves, coriander, ajwain, red chilli powder, turmeric, and hing. Massage gently for 30–45 seconds. Let rest for 5–7 minutes until onions release water and turn glossy.
  3. Flour & Hot Oil: Heat oil for deep frying in a kadai over medium heat. Sprinkle besan and rice flour over the onions. Ladle 1 tbsp of the hot oil directly over the dry flour.
  4. Mix to Cling: Toss ingredients using fingertips until a shaggy, sticky coating clings tightly around each onion slice. Add water in 1-teaspoon increments only if dry flour remains.
  5. Test Oil: Drop a small piece of coated onion into the oil; it should rise to the surface in 2 seconds with active bubbles.
  6. Drop & Fry: Drop small, loose clusters (approx. 1.5 tbsp each) into the hot oil without shaping or compacting.
  7. Cook Evenly: Fry over medium heat for 3–5 minutes, turning occasionally with a slotted spoon, until deep golden brown and oil bubbles subside.
  8. Drain: Remove with a slotted spoon, drain excess oil, and transfer to a wire cooling rack. Repeat for remaining batches and serve hot.
Recipe Notes

  • Slice onions evenly along their vertical length for consistent frying.

  • Never press the mixture into patties when dropping into oil; jagged edges ensure maximum crunch.

  • To keep batches crisp while frying the rest, arrange them on a wire rack rather than a flat plate.

Storage & Reheating

  • Store leftovers in an airtight container lined with paper towels in the refrigerator for up to 2 days.

  • Reheat in an oven or air fryer at 180°C (350°F) for 3–5 minutes. Avoid the microwave.