Onion Pakoda also known as onion bhaji is a delicious snack and treat. It is a popular crunchy Indian street food recipe that gets a healthy avatar in the air fryer. Both recipes are shared below.
Pakoda or fritters are very popular in India. Vegetables are enrobed in a chickpea flour batter with a few spices and deep fried to golden gorgeousouss. Downed with masala chai, you see it sold at every street corner.
You can check out this spinach pakoda in air fryer, cabbage pakoda, mirchi bhaji and aloo pakora recipe.
You may also enjoy these air fryer snacks: samosa, chilli cheese toast, hara bhara kabab, beetroot cutlet, aloo tikki chaat, paneer tikka, banana chips.
Ingredients
1. Onion: Since these are onion bhajis, onion is the star ingredient here. I sometimes also add finely chopped potato, green chillies and cilantro here. You can also add finely chopped cabbage or carrot here.
2. Besan or Chickpea flour: This chickpea flour forms the batter for these onion pakodas.
3. Rice flour: This helps in crisping up the pakodas or fritters. You can try these rice flour substitutes if you don't have rice flour.
4. Spices: Finely chopped ginger and garlic along with carrom seeds, salt, cayenne, garam masala, turmeric powder lend flavor to these bhajis.
Instructions
Add chickpea flour, rice flour and all the spices together and mix well. Finely slice onion and keep aside.
Now add them to finely sliced onion along with chopped cilantro or coriander leaves. If you want you can add one finely chopped potato here as well.
Leave aside for 10 minutes. The mixture will become moist.
Now add water little by little so that the chickpea flour mix coats the onion. Do not make the batter runny or it will not turn crispy.
For Air Frying
Pre heat Air fryer to 180 C or 360 F for 3 minutes. Brush the basket with oil and place small pakoda dumplings in one layer on the basket or perforated tray. You could use perforated parchment paper for easy cleanup here.
Air fry these pakodas for 8-10 minutes at 360 F or 180C (9 in one batch). Brush/spray with oil midway. No need to flip.
Optional: Air fry at 200 C or 390 F for 2-4 minutes more if you haven't got the golden-brown colour yet.
That's it. Take out and serve your crispy tasty onion pakoda made in air fryer hot with chutney or ketchup.
For Deep Frying
Heat oil and using a spoon or your hands, put small portions of mixture into medium hot oil. Fry till golden brown and cooked inside.
Deep fried pakodas will always be darker in color compared to air fried. And you can make larger pakodas too. But, they will be more calorie intense.
Drain onto kitchen towel using a slotted spoon and serve hot with green chutney and ketchup. Enjoy onion pakora with hot cup of tea.
Pro Tips:
1. Keeping the batter aside ensures that onion release water and hence the pakoras will turn out crisp and not soggy.
2. When air frying, keep checking the pakoda to ensure they don't overcook. Don't over crowd the basket.
3. You can use parchment paper to prevent the pakode from sticking to the basket.
4. Always slice the onions finely for best results.
5. When deep frying, always fry at medium flame and not very high flame. To check if the oil is hot, put in a small speck if the mixture into the oil. If it comes up instantly then your oil is adequately hot.
6. I prefer to use cold pressed mustard oil (traditional) as the cooking medium as it lends its unique taste to the fritters but feel free to use any vegetable oil of your choice.
7. Don't overcrowd the pan or kadhai or else the fritters will not cook evenly.
8. Don't fry on low flame or your pakodas will get soggy.
9 You can add finely chopped potatoes and chillies to this onion pakoda mix for a delicious variation.
Here's the recipe card:
Onion Pakoda Recipe Two Ways (in Air fryer and Deep Fried) | Onion Pakora
Ingredients
- 3 onions finely sliced
- 1 potato cut into thin slivers (optional)
- 1 cup chickpea flour or besan
- ¼ cup Rice flour
- 1 tsp. ajwain or carrom seeds or use dried thyme
- 1 tbsp. ginger garlic finely chopped
- 1 tsp. cayenne or red chilli powder
- ½ tsp. turmeric powder
- ½ tsp. garam masala powder
- salt to taste
- 1 tbsp. finely chopped cilantro or coriander leaves
- 2 tsp. Oil for Air frying or as needed for deep frying
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Instructions
- Add chickpea flour, rice flour and all the spices together and mix well. Slice onion finely and keep aside.
- Now add them to finely sliced onion along with chopped cilantro or coriander leaves.
- Leave aside for 10 minutes. The mixture will become moist.
- Now add water little by little so that the gram flour mix coats the onion. Do not make the batter runny or it will not turn crisp.
For Air Frying
- Pre heat Air fryer to 180 C or 360 F for 3 minutes. Brush the basket with oil and make small pakoda dumplings in one layer on the basket or perforated tray.
- Air fry pakodas for 8-10 minutes at 360 F (9 in one batch). Brush with oil midway. No need to flip.
- Optional Air fry at 200 C or 390 F for 2-4 minutes more if you haven't got the brown colour yet.
- That's it. Take out and serve your crispy tasty onion pakoda made in air fryer hot with chutney or ketchup.
For Deep Frying
- Heat oil and using a spoon or your hands, put small portions of mixture into medium hot oil. Fry till golden brown and cooked inside.
- Drain onto kitchen towel using a slotted spoon and serve hot with green chutney and ketchup. Enjoy onion pakora with hot cup of tea.
Video
Notes
- Keeping the batter aside ensures that onion release water and hence the pakoras will turn out crisp and not soggy.
- When air frying keep checking the pakode to ensure they don't overcook. Don't over crowd the basket.
- You can use parchment paper if your pakode stick to the basket.
- Always finely slice the onions for best results.
- Don't make batter runny or your pakore will not turn out crispy.
- You can use the same recipe to make other fritters like those of spinach, green chilli, cauliflower, potato etc.
- You will need to make the batter separately and then dip the vegetable in the batter and deep fry or air fry it.
- When deep frying, always fry at medium flame and not very high flame. To check if the oil is hot, put in a small speck if the mixture into the oil. If it comes up instantly then your oil is adequately hot.
- I prefer to use mustard oil as the cooking medium as it lends its unique taste to the fritters but feel free to use any oil of your choice.
- Don't overcrowd the pan or kadhai or else the fritters will not cook evenly.
- Don't fry on low flame or your pakodas will get soggy.
- You can add finely chopped potatoes and chillies to this onion pakoda mix for a delicious variation.
- Some people add about a tbsp. of hot oil to the batter to make the pakodas lighter.
Nutrition
Hope you enjoyed this onion bhaji recipe and will try it at home.
If you liked it I request you to give it a * star rating either on the recipe or in the comments.
Soumya says
I love onion pakoda! One of my secret indulgences 😀
Vinodini says
It hasn't rained in our part of the country yet. Your post is now making me crave for both the rains and the pakodas! I cannot imagine not having pakodas or bhajiyas during the rainy season. Thanks for sharing your recipe. I add hot oil to mine, will try adding rice flour next time.
Obsessivemom says
Thos pictures shouldn't be allowed - I want to reach out and pick one - the pakoras look absolutely delicious.
Ramya Abhinand says
Perfect... I make them in a similar way. Let the onions release the moisture rather than adding water. It gives that perfect crunchiness. Now just waiting for the monsoons to set in.
Shilpa Garg says
Of all the pakodas, onion pakodas are my favorite. I have never used rice flour in pakodas. That's an interesting addition. Will try it next time. Thanks!
Jyotirmoy Sarkar says
This is too much common household item, one of the best items with tea/coffee.
Amit Kumar says
Onion Pakodas and such bhajis are my favourite and the perfect companion during the rainy evenings. Co-incidentally it has been cloudy here since morning, hopefully we will have some rains in the evening. If it does, I will surely make Onion Pakodas and Baiginis
David says
Hi, do you add the potato to the flour with the onions? Thanks
Rachna says
Yes, you have to add the finely chopped potatoes along with sliced onions.
Dolly @ Little Home in the Making says
These look so delicious and crispy! I can almost hear the "crunch!" Totally drooling over here.
Dannii says
I never would have thought to do these in the air fryer - such a great idea.
Courtney says
These were so good! The family ate them up quickly - can't wait to make another batch!
Carrie Robinson says
Now these sounds delicious! I definitely would like to try to the air fryer method for these. 🙂
Gail Montero says
I've eaten these in Indian restaurants and totally love them. So glad I can now make these at home! YUM!
Vidya says
Could you share which airfryer you are using please? I'm looking to buy one with a square basket as shown in your photo for indian snacks.
Rachna says
This is Philips HD 9216 air fryer. I got it over 7 years ago.
Lee says
What is the best substitute for rice flour?
Rachna says
Just use more of chickpea flour.