Cauliflower Pakoda Recipe / How To Make Gobi Pakora
Crispy South Indian style cauliflower pakoda recipe (gobi pakora) made with parboiled cauliflower florets, besan, rice flour, and aromatic spices. Perfect crunchy tea time snack that stays crisp for hours!
Servings: 2 servings
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.