Paneer Pakoda Recipe | Crispy Indian Bread Pakora Snack for Tea Time
Crispy paneer pakoda are golden fritters made by coating paneer in a spiced gram flour batter and frying until crunchy. Perfect for tea time with chutneys and lemon.
Ingredients
Ingredients
- Paneer: 300–350 g, cut into thick rectangles or cubes
- Besan (gram flour): 1 cup
- Rice flour or cornstarch: 2 tablespoons
- Carom seeds (ajwain): 1/2 teaspoon
- Turmeric powder: 1/4 teaspoon
- Kashmiri red chili powder: 1 teaspoon
- Garam masala: 1/2 teaspoon
- Chaat masala: 1/2 teaspoon, plus more to sprinkle
- Green chili: 1, finely chopped (optional)
- Ginger-garlic paste: 1 teaspoon
- Salt: to taste
- Water: about 1/2–3/4 cup, to make a thick batter
- Oil: for deep or shallow frying
- Green chutney, for serving
- Tamarind chutney, for serving
- Lemon wedges, for serving
- Sliced onions or salad, optional
Instructions
Instructions
- Cut paneer into 1/2-inch thick rectangles or cubes and pat dry; optionally season lightly with salt and chaat masala.
- In a bowl, whisk together besan, rice flour, ajwain, turmeric, Kashmiri red chili powder, garam masala, chaat masala, and salt.
- Add ginger-garlic paste and chopped green chili, then gradually whisk in water to form a thick, smooth batter that coats the back of a spoon.
- Heat 2 inches of oil in a kadai or skillet over medium heat until a drop of batter sizzles and rises in 2–3 seconds (about 170–175°C / 340–350°F).
- Dip paneer pieces into the batter, let excess drip off, and carefully slide them into the hot oil without crowding.
- Fry for 2–3 minutes per side until deep golden and crisp, then drain on a wire rack or paper towels.
- Sprinkle a pinch of chaat masala over the hot pakoda.
- Serve immediately with green chutney, tamarind chutney, lemon wedges, and sliced onions.
Notes
Keep the batter thick enough to coat; too thin slides off, too thick tastes doughy. Maintain medium to medium-high oil temperature for a crisp crust. Use fresh besan to avoid bitterness. Fry in batches to prevent temperature drops. To store, cool completely, refrigerate up to 2 days, and re-crisp in an air fryer at 180°C/350°F for 4–6 minutes or a hot oven for 8–10 minutes. For freezing, par-fry until pale, freeze on a tray, then fry from frozen until golden. Variations include sandwich pakoda with chutney, stuffed paneer, adding crushed spices or amchur, semolina coating, or air-frying at 190°C/375°F for 10–12 minutes.