These homemade cauliflower pakoras are easy to make, slightly crunchy and deliciously spiced. They make a delicious snack, a tasty appetiser or side dish or even a light meal. Trust me, they are hard to resist!
Spicy deep fried Indian snacks are not the kind of food I eat every day but they are perfect as an occassional treat! I definitely can't say no to these crispy cauliflower pakoras with a spiced homemade batter.
They are completely vegan too which makes them ideal if you are serving them as part of a meat-free meal. I served them with a mildly spiced yogurt dip which you could make with coconut yogurt too.
Ingredient notes for cauliflower pakoras
To make these cauliflower pakoras you'll need:
- Cauliflower - For these pakoras you'll only need the florets but you can keep the stalk and put it in a soup. I hate to waste it!
- Chickpea flour - This is also known as gram flour, besan flour or garbanzo bean flour.
- Garlic - I use a fresh garlic clove but you can use garlic puree or even garlic powder.
- Ginger - I use fresh root ginger but you can also use puree or even ginger powder.
- Chilli pepper - Feel free to replace it with cayenne pepper or chilli powder if you don't have any fresh chillies.
- Spices and seasoning - turmeric, garam masala and salt.
- Curry leaves - I use dried curry leaves which you can just crumble between your fingers.
How to make cauliflower pakoras?
To make these cauliflower pakoras you need to first cut the cauliflower into equal sized small florets. Then boil them for just 2 minutes to soften slightly but still have some bite.
Whisk together all the ingredients for the batter along with about 120ml of water. Stir the cauliflower into the batter.
Heat a saucepan with about 2cm of oil. Test that it is hot by dripping a little batter into it. It should rise to the surface and sizzle.
Add the cauliflower florets carefully. Make sure they are not touching and don't crowd the pan. You'll need to cook them in two batches. Fry them over a medium-high heat for about 3 minutes on each side. Remove with a slotted spoon and place on a plate covered with kitchen roll to soak up any excess oil.
What can you serve with them?
These cauliflower pakoras re great just with ketchup but I have to say I love them with mango chutney or raita too. Here I've served them with a simple yogurt dip, made by mixing together yogurt, coriander leaves, cayenne pepper, garlic and paprika.
I also like to serve lemon wedges with them to squeeze over and sometimes a sprinkling of chaat masala.
What can you do with the leftovers?
Any leftover pakoras can be stored in the fridge for up to 3 days. The best way to reheat them is in the air fryer or oven so they crisp up again. If you reheat them in the microwave they will go soggy so it's best avoided if possible.
Can you freeze them?
Yes, freeze them in a single layer on a baking tray lined with baking paper. When they are frozen, transfer them to a freezer bag and you can keep them for up to three months.
They can be reheated from frozen in the oven or air fryer.
Recipe
Cauliflower Pakoras
Ingredients
- 220 g cauliflower cut into small florets
- 100 g chickpea flour also called gram flour
- 1 garlic clove crushed
- 1 teaspoon ginger grated
- 1 chilli pepper finely diced
- ½ tsp turmeric
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon garam masala
- 1 teaspoon curry leaves crumbled between your fingers
Instructions
- First make sure the cauliflower is cut into equal sized pieces. Drop them in boiling water and boil for just 2 minutes to soften slightly.
- Whisk together all the ingredients except the cauliflower along with about 120ml of water. It should be like a thick pancake batter.
- Stir in the cauliflower pieces.
- Heat a pan with at least 1cm of cooking oil in. When hot, carefully drop spoonfuls of the cauliflower into the hot oil.
- Cook them for about 3 minutes on each side. You may need to cook the cauliflower in batches.
- Remove with a slotted spoon and drain on kitchen paper.
Video
Notes
Nutrition
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Keep in touch
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