These crispy, crunchy vegetable pakoras, Indian style fritters, are made with assorted veggies, chickpea flour and spices. They are the ultimate appetizer, and they also make a great snack for game day -- or a rainy day!
Heat oil.A wok or kadhai is preferable, but if you don't have one a cast iron skillet or frying pan will work just as well. Or, if you have a deep fryer, use that. Heat the oil to 350 degrees F/180 degrees C.
Chop the vegetables.Slice veggies like potatoes and zucchini thinly, using a knife or a mandolin. You want them to cook quickly in the oil. Chop the onions and cabbage into long, thin strands.
Whisk batter ingredients together: Place all the ingredients except the vegetables in a bowl. If the chickpea flour seems lumpy, sift it into the bowl. Whisk all the ingredients to mix.
Add the water:Slowly begin to trickle in the water, a quarter cup at a time. Whisk, and then add more. Doing this will ensure you end up with a smooth, not lumpy, batter.
Check the consistency of the batter. Dip a veggie in the batter. The excess batter should easily drip off while leaving a nice, even coating over the veggie.
Fry the pakoras.Dip veggies in the batter, one at a time, and carefully place in the hot oil. Fry until one side turns lightly golden, then flip and cook the other side. You want a lovely, golden color on the pakora but you don't want them to brown.
Drain out any excess oil. When fried at the right temperature the pakoras will be perfectly crispy and not greasy, because they won't absorb much oil. Place the fried pakoras in a colander or plate lined with paper towels.