Cauliflower pakoda, also known as gobi pakora, is an easy and delicious South Indian tea time snack. Made with besan and rice flour, this crispy cauliflower pakoda recipe turns out super crunchy without absorbing excess oil. It is a quick, kid-friendly evening snack to enjoy hot with a cup of tea!
Cauliflower Pakoda @ Gobi Pakora (In Hindi) is an easy, yummy snack recipe for tea time. Cauliflower pakoda is different from Gobi 65 in ingredients. Gobi 65 is prepared using maida / all purpose flour and corn flour whereas gobi pakora is made using besan flour and rice flour. Pakoda is more like bajji bonda recipe.
Cauliflower pakoda stays crispy for long time. Addition of cooking soda / baking soda is essential to make it crispy else gobi pakoda tastes hard. Friends, do try this yummy, kids friendly cauliflower pakoda during this cauliflower season. You can make it for your weekend lunch or for evening snacks to enjoy with tea!
Check out my other delicious cauliflower / gobi recipes:
- Gobi 65
- Gobi Manchurian
- Gobi Curry (Without Onion & Garlic)
- South Indian Cauliflower Poriyal
- Cauliflower Kuzhambu
- Cauliflower Kurma
- Gobi Paratha
- Gobi Biryani
Quick Notes for US & Abroad Kitchens
- Cauliflower Prep: If you buy pre-cut cauliflower florets from Costco, Trader Joe’s, or local supermarkets, wash and parboil them in hot water with a pinch of turmeric and salt for just 3 minutes. Do not overcook them, as store-bought pre-cut florets are already tender. Drain well and pat dry before mixing with the flour.
- Flour Substitutes: Besan (gram flour) is easily available in all Indian stores. If you are buying from US grocery stores, you can use Bob’s Red Mill chickpea flour or garbanzo fava flour, but sieve it once to remove any lumps. Use fine rice flour or cornstarch (corn flour) for that extra crunch.
- Don’t Skip Baking Soda: Just a tiny pinch of cooking soda / baking soda is enough. It helps the pakoda puff slightly and stay crispy for a long time instead of turning hard.
- Stovetop Heat Control: In US apartments with electric coil or glass flat-top stoves, keep the heat on medium (around setting 5 or 6). Electric stoves hold heat longer, so avoid frying on high heat or the pakodas will turn dark brown outside while remaining raw inside.
- Air Fryer Method: You can also make this in an air fryer! Preheat your air fryer to 375°F (190°C). Spray the basket with oil, arrange the coated florets in a single layer without crowding, spray a little oil on top, and air fry for 12 to 14 minutes. Shake the basket halfway through until golden and crispy.
Cauliflower Pakoda Recipe / How To Make Gobi Pakora
Ingredients
For Cauliflower Pakoda
- 15 to 20 florets Cauliflower / Gobi (approx. 250g / 9 oz) washed and cut into bite-sized florets
- ½ cup Besan flour / Gram flour (approx. 60g / 2 oz)
- ¼ cup Rice flour (approx. 35g / 1.2 oz) or corn flour for crispness
- 1 pinch Cooking soda / baking soda essential for crispness
- 1 tsp Ginger garlic paste (approx. 5g)
- ½ tsp Fennel seeds powder or crushed fennel seeds (optional)
- ¼ tsp Turmeric powder
- 1 tsp Red chilli powder Kashmiri chilli powder recommended
- ½ tsp Garam masala powder
- ½ tsp Salt or as needed
- few leaves Fresh mint leaves finely chopped (optional)
- few sprigs Curry leaves finely chopped
- 3 to 4 tbsp Water as needed to coat florets
- 2 cups Cooking oil (approx. 500 ml / 17 fl oz) for deep frying
Instructions
- Wash the cauliflower florets thoroughly. Bring 2 cups of water to a boil in a pan with a pinch of turmeric powder. Add the florets, let them roll boil for 5 minutes, then switch off the flame. Drain the excess water completely and set aside.
- In a wide mixing bowl, take the parboiled cauliflower, besan flour, rice flour, red chilli powder, garam masala powder, salt, turmeric powder, ginger garlic paste, chopped curry leaves, mint leaves, crushed fennel seeds, and baking soda. Mix well. Sprinkle water little by little and mix thoroughly to coat the cauliflower florets with the masala. Make sure it is not too dry or watery. Rest for 5 to 10 minutes.
- Heat oil in a heavy-bottomed kadai. When heated, drop a small pinch of batter into the oil; if it rises to the top immediately, the oil temperature is right. Now lower the flame and drop the coated cauliflower pieces gently one by one in batches.
- Increase the flame to medium and deep fry the cauliflower pieces until golden brown and crispy on both sides. Toss and flip whenever needed so they fry evenly. Do not wait for all the bubbles to cease.
- Remove the fried pakoda using a slotted ladle and drain on kitchen paper towels. Enjoy hot with rice or as an evening tea time snack with tomato ketchup!
Notes
- Adjust the quantity of chilli powder and garam masala powder as per your taste.
- Parboil cauliflower before mixing the flours. Raw cauliflower takes more time to cook in oil and absorbs more oil too.
- Do not wait for all the bubbles to cease while frying. Remove once it turns golden in color.
- You can use corn flour in place of rice flour.
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Frequently Asked Questions
Pakodas can turn soft if the oil is not hot enough while dropping the florets, or if you skip rice flour. Adding 1/4 cup of rice flour and a pinch of baking soda gives that crispy texture. Also, make sure to drain the parboiled cauliflower well and don’t make the batter too watery.
Yes friends, I always suggest parboiling cauliflower in hot water with a little turmeric and salt for 3 to 5 minutes. Raw cauliflower takes longer to cook in oil and absorbs more oil. Parboiling also helps clean any hidden dirt easily.
Yes, you can! Just make the batter slightly thicker so it coats well and doesn’t drip. Spray the air fryer basket with oil, place the florets in a single layer, and air fry at 375°F (190°C) for 12 to 14 minutes until crisp and golden, shaking the basket halfway.
Yes, you can easily substitute rice flour with corn flour (cornstarch). It gives a very similar light and crunchy texture.
Yummy, kids friendly cauliflower pakoda is ready to enjoy. You can have with ketchup.
