This bread pakora or bread pakoda is a popular Indian snack and street food. This is a very easy recipe and a perfect snack with chai. Made healthier in the air fryer.
Bread pakoras are relished as a quick savoury snack. It is traditionally deep fried.
I have made it in the air fryer for a low oil healthier version.
Bread slices are dipped in a chickpea flour batter and either deep fried or air fried to perfection.
Serve hot with green chutney or ketchup.
You may also like: air fryer samosa, aloo tikki in air fryer, air fryer banana chips, air fryer namak pare, air fryer vada pav, Air fryer sabudana vada, Air fryer onion pakoda.
Variations:
- This recipe is vegan and healthy. Instead of chickpea flour, you could also use soaked and ground lentils as a batter. Moong dal or green moong beans work well for batter.
- I have used basic spices here. Feel free to change them as per your choice.
- To make it like a sandwich, you can insert a potato filling between two bread slices, then dip in batter and fry or air fry.
- You can also make this recipe cheesy by inserting a cheese slice between two bread slices and then dipping it in the batter and frying.
- You can cut each bread slice in rectangles or triangle. Remove the outer brown edges when doing this.
- I have used wholewheat bread here. Feel free to use sandwich bread or multigrain bread.
Tips for Making Perfect Bread Pakodas
- This recipe works well with both fresh bread and slightly stale bread.
- Don’t make the batter runny especially for air frying or it will drip down the basket and not air fryer properly.
- Using parchment paper with holes helps in easy air frying and cleaning.
- Do not overcrowd the basket while air frying.
- If deep frying or shallow frying, deep fry at medium temperature.
Stepwise Pictures
Cut each bread slice into two triangles or two rectangles after removing the outer brown edges.
Sometimes I even leave the edges on.
Keep aside.
Take chickpea flour and add spices and salt to it.
Slowly add water to form a smooth, thickish batter.
Beat it well for a minute to incorporate air in it so that it is light.
If you are making for deep frying then the batter can be slightly runny (like pakoda batter).
For air frying keep it thicker.
Mix well.
Dip each bread slice in the batter to coat it along all sides.
Do this just when you are ready to air fry or deep fry. Else it will get soggy and break apart.
For Deep frying
Heat oil on medium heat in a pan.
Check that it is adequately hot by dropping one drop of batter in it. If it bubbles immediately then your oil is ready to deep fry/shallow fry.
Slowly drop chickpea flour coated bread slices in the oil and deep fry till golden brown and cooked.
For Air frying
Preheat air fryer at 360F or 180C for 5 minutes.
Put a parchment paper sheet with holes or a silicone mat to line the basket.
Dip slices in chickpea batter to cover well and immediately place in the air fryer basket.
Leave some gaps between the slices.
Air fry at 360F or 180C for 5 minutes. No need to flip midway.
Lightly brush with oil on top to give an oily glow and colour. Can skip if you want oil free.
Then air fry at 390F or 200C for 2 more minutes for more colour.
Your bread pakoras are ready. Gently lift out the parchment paper with bread pakora on them.
Slowly peel off the parchment paper to release the bread pakoras that may look like a little stuck.
Take them out and serve hot. Enjoy.
Here’s the recipe card:
📖 Recipe Card
Bread Pakora Recipe
Equipment
Ingredients
- 4 bread slices cut into halves or triangles
For Coating
- ¾ cup chickpea flour
- ¼ tsp. Salt
- ½ tsp. Cayenne or red chilli powder
- ½ tsp. ground coriander
- ¼ tsp. Carrom seeds or ajwain
- 1 tsp. Cilantro finely chopped
- ½ tsp. Turmeric powder
- ½ tsp. Garam masala
- 1 tsp. Oil for brushing optional for air frying
Instructions
- Cut each bread slice into two triangles or two rectangles after removing the outer brown edges.
- Keep aside.
- Take chickpea flour and add spices and salt to it.
- Slowly add water to form a smooth, thickish batter. If you are making for deep frying then the batter can be slightly runny (like pakoda batter).
- For air frying keep it thick.
- Mix well.
- Whip the batter for a minute or so to aerate it and make it light.
- Dip each bread slice in the batter to coat it along all sides.
- Do this just when you are ready to air fry or deep fry, or they will get soggy and break apart.
For Deep frying
- Heat oil on medium heat in a pan.
- Check that it is adequately hot by dropping one drop of batter in it. If it bubbles immediately then your oil is ready to deep fry/shallow fry.
- Slowly place chickpea flour coated bread slices in the oil and deep fry till golden brown and cooked.
For Air frying
- Preheat air fryer at 360F or 180C for 5 minutes.
- Put a parchment paper sheet with holes or a silicone mat to line the basket.
- Place batter coated bread slices in the air fryer and leave some spaces between them.
- Air fry at 360F or 180C for 5-7 minutes. No need to flip midway.
- Brush lightly with oil (optional). Then air fry at 390F or 200C for 2 minutes more.
- Your bread pakoras are ready. Slowly lift up the parchment paper and remove it with bread pakoras on top.
- Then peel off the parchment paper. It comes out clean but do this step carefully. We don't want the batter coming out. Serve hot and enjoy.
Notes
Don’t make the batter runny especially for air frying or it will drip down the basket and not air fryer properly.
Using parchment paper with holes helps in easy air frying and cleaning.
Do not overcrowd the basket while air frying.
If deep frying or shallow frying, deep fry at medium temperature.
Nutrition
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