Paneer Pakora | Paneer Pakoda Recipe
These paneer pakoras are crispy and crunchy on the outside, with a soft melt in the mouth paneer cheese in the inside. Enjoy these crispy munchies with your favorite dipping sauce or along with some simple green chutney and ketchup.
Servings 4 people
Ingredients
- 225 grams paneer (Indian cottage cheese)
- 1 cup besan (gram flour)
- 2 tbsp rice flour, optional
- Pinch of hing (asafoetida)
- 1/2 tbsp ginger garlic paste
- 1/2 tsp ajwain (carom seeds)
- 1/2 tsp red chilli powder
- 1/4 tsp turmeric powder
- Salt, to taste
- 1/4 tsp baking soda, optional
- 1/4 tsp chaat masala, plus for sprinkling on the fried pakoras
- 3 tbsp chopped cilantro/coriander leaves
- Water, as required to make a thick paste sort of batter
- Oil, as required for deep-frying
Instructions
- Cut the paneer into 1.5 x 1.5-inch square, about 1/4 inch thick. Set aside. Also, add oil in a wok and heat it on medium heat.
- In a bowl, add all the ingredients (from besan to coriander leaves) for the batter. Mix well with a whisk. Add water, in increments until you have a thick batter. I used about 1/2 cup and 2 tbsp of water.
- Check if the oil is ready for deep-frying. Check by dropping some batter in the oil, it should rise and float immediately, but the color should not change. Dip one paneer piece in the batter, transfer carefully in the hot oil, deep-fry on medium heat. Once it is golden brown on one side, flip and let the other side turn golden brown. Transfer to a plate lined with an absorbent kitchen napkin. Taste and adjust the seasoning if required before frying up all the other paneer pieces.
- Repeat the same process with remaining paneer pieces. You may fry in batches depending on the size of your wok. If you do not wish to deep-fry you may also shallow fry them in an inch of oil in a flat skillet.
- Transfer the deep-fried paneer pakoras to a plate lined with an absorbent kitchen napkin. Sprinkle chaat masala and serve immediately. This tastes best when it is fresh, as leftovers will get soggy. So fry only as much as you need.
Notes
- You may marinate the paneer with spices like red chilli, turmeric, chaat masala, and garam masala for 5-10 minutes. Then proceed with the recipe.
- Measuring cup used, 1 cup = 250 ml, 1 tsp = 5 ml