Paneer pakora is a popular Indian snack in which soft paneer (Indian cottage cheese) pieces are deep-fried after being coated in a spiced gram flour batter. These paneer fritters have a crispy exterior and a soft interior.
In a bowl, add all the batter ingredients including besan and spices. Add little water as needed to make a thick flowing batter. Let it rest for 10-15 minutes. (See notes if you have less time)
Prepare Paneer
If using store-bought paneer, blanch the paneer for 10 minutes in hot water. Cut the paneer into cubes (about 3/4 inch). You can even cut them in the desired shape like a triangle.
(For stuffed pakora) Cut the paneer into triangles. Then make 2-3 slices of each triangle depending on chutneys you plan to stuff. Spread chutney on one side and place the other triangle on top.
Deep Fry
Heat oil in a kadai or deep fryer on medium-high flame. You can use any neutral tasting oil with a high smoking point. Once the oil reaches the smoking point, you can test the oil by immersing a few drops of batter in the hot oil. The oil is ready to fry pakoras if the batter droplets rise to the surface quickly and gradually.
Dip the prepared paneer pieces in the batter and coat them nicely with the batter. Add the batter-coated paneer slices carefully to the medium-hot oil. Remember do not overcrowd the kadhai. Using a slotted spoon, remove the paneer pakora. To remove excess oil, place them on paper towels.
Fry till the paneer fritters are golden and crisp on all sides. Use a slotted spoon to turn them few times while they cook evenly.Using a slotted spoon, remove the paneer pakoras and transfer to a plate lined with paper towel to drain excess oil.
Serve
Serve paneer pakora hot or warm, sprinkled with chaat masala, and accompanied by mint cilantro chutney or tomato ketchup and masala chai.
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Notes
Batter:
The batter should be thick, easy to coat and not runny.
Ensure the batter is lump free. You can use a whisk or an electric mixer to mix the batter.
In case you are in a hurry, and don't have time to let the batter rest, add a pinch of baking soda to the batter. This will make the pakoras crunchy.
Rice flour: Traditionally, the batter is made with only gram flour. However you can add 1-2 tablespoons of rice flour as this makes the pakoras crunchy, while keeping them gluten-free.Frying:
Frying the pakora in very hot oil will quickly brown or burn the outside batter, leaving the inside batter undercooked and raw.
Frying the pakoras at a low temperature causes the pakora to absorb more oil, resulting in oily pakoras.