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Aloo Pakora / Batate Bhajji/ Potato Fritters

Aloo Pakora
When you eat at an Indian restaurant, which appetizers do you order? Masala Papad, Samosa or Pakoras? Which is your favorite? Mine are these Potato Pakoras, but we generally skip the starter part and straight away order the entree.
But, once in a while, eating something fried is okay, I guess. And, when it comes to home cooked meals, simple Dal Rice, Aam ka Achar and these fritters are my comfort food.

Ingredients:
Potato/Aloo - 1 medium
Besan/Chickpea Flour/Gram Flour - 1/4 cup
Rice Flour - 2 tbsp
Hot Oil - 1 tbsp
Cayenne Pepper/Red Chilli Powder - 1/2 tsp
Turmeric/Haldi - 1/4 tsp
Salt
Oil for frying

How to cook Indian Aloo Pakoda:
  • Add about 4 cups water and 1/2 tsp salt in a bowl. Wash the potato well. Cut round thin slices of the potato using a sharp knife or a mandolin slicer. Soak the potato slices in salty water for 20 - 30 minutes.
  • In a mixing bowl, add chickpea flour, rice flour, cayenne pepper, salt to taste and turmeric. If rice flour is not available, use corn flour or corn starch, which helps in making the pakoras crisp.
  • For a nice color, use Spanish paprika or Kashmiri Lal Mirch powder instead of cayenne pepper.
Indian Pakoda
  • Heat 1 tbsp oil in a small pan. The oil must be very hot and not warm. The hot oil will also make the pakoras crisp. Add the hot oil to the mixing bowl. Add water, little at a time and form a smooth batter. Mix it well so that no lumps are seen. The batter must be thick enough to coat the potato slices.
  • Heat oil in a pan for deep frying. Gently squeeze the water of the potato slices. Dip one slice in the batter and deep fry it in medium hot oil, until it turns crisp and golden brown. Remove from the pan when the frying sound and the bubbling in oil stops.
  • Taste for salt and pepper. Also, if the pakoras don't turn crisp, add little water to the batter. Too thick batter makes the fritters soggy. Dip the potato slices in the batter and deep fry them in batches. Do not overcrowd the pan.
Serve garma garam Aloo Pakora as an appetizer with Coriander Mint Chutney and Dates Tamarind Chutney.
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