The crispy and golden Air Fryer Pakoras are cooked to perfection! These Air fried onion bhaji are made with sliced onions, gram flour (besan) and spices. These crunchy flavorful fritters are a perfect snack with a cup of masala chai!
Prep Time10 minutesmins
Cook Time20 minutesmins
Total Time30 minutesmins
Course: Appetizer
Cuisine: Indian
Keyword: air fryer pakoras, onion pakora air fryer
In a large mixing bowl, add the sliced onions, green chili, ginger, and cilantro leaves. Then add the chickpea flour (besan), rice flour, red chili powder, turmeric powder, carom seeds, hing and salt.
mix using your hand. Squeeze the onions with your fingers while mixing. Don't add any water as a runny batter will not make crispy pakoras. Squeeze the onions until their moisture releases and a clumpy dough forms.
Add 1 teaspoon of oil to the onion batter. This can help make the air fryer pakoras softer inside.Only if needed, add 1-2 tablespoons of water so the onions are well coated with the gram flour and spices.
Air Fryer Method
Preheat your air fryer as per the instruction manual of the manufacturer (about 400°F for 5 minutes). Then, spray a little oil to prevent the pakoras from sticking to the surface.
Pick some batter in your fingers, and flatten in a patty like shape. Then place it in the air fryer basket. Make sure the pakoras don't touch each other. Do not overcrowd. Spray some oil on top.
Air fryer at 350°F for 12-14 minutes. Flip the pakoras at about 9 minutes.
Once they are golden and crispy, take out on a plate lined with paper towel. Sprinkle some chaat masala. Serve hot and with mint cilantro chutney or ketchup.
Oven Method
Line a baking tray with parchment paper and place spoonfuls of the batter on it. You want to make small to medium-sized pakoras rather so they bake uniformly.
Then bake for 25-30 minutes at 400°F (205 °C). Spray with oil and flip the baking tray around at halfway mark and then continue to bake. Keep an eye on them to ensure sure they're baking properly and not burning.
Video
Notes
Batter consistency: The batter needs to be thick and not runny. We need just enough moisture in the batter to achieve crispy pakoras. The pakoras will not be as crispy if there is too much water.Cooking Tips: To minimize overcrowding and uneven cooking, air fry only a few pakoras at a time. Don't forget to spray oil before placing the pakodas inside the air fryer. You can alternatively also use parchment paper with holes to prevent the pakoras from sticking to the air fryer basket.