Air fryer Moong Dal Pakora

Moong dal pakora served on a white plate.

Air fryer Moong Dal Pakora

These moong dal pakoras made in air fryer are a healthy and tasty snack. Low oil and high in plant-based protein, this is a nutritious and tasty snack.

Course Snack

Cuisine Indian

Keyword air fryer moong dal pakora, Moong dal pakora recipe

recipe air fryer snacks, air fryer vegan, Indian air fryer recipes

Prep Time 5

Cook Time 14

Soaking time 1

Total Time 1 19

Servings pakoras

Calories 45kcal

Author Rachna Parmar

Equipment

1 Chef's knife
1 Air fryer

Ingredients

1 cup yellow moong dal or split mung beans
1 small onion finely chopped
1 green chilli finely chopped
1 tsp. Ginger garlic paste or minced
2 tbsp. cilantro chopped
½ tsp. cumin seeds
½ tsp. Turmeric
½ tsp. red chilli powder
1 tsp. Ground coriander
1 tsp. Salt
1 tsp. oil for brushing

Instructions

Rinse and soak the moong dal for about 1-2 hours. Drain and grind it to a coarse paste without adding too much water. I normally add about 2 tsp. water and blend. The batter should be thick and spoonable.
Transfer the paste to a bowl and mix in the chopped onion, green chilli, ginger-garlic paste, the spices and salt. Mix it well. I also try to aerate the pakora batter a bit by mixing it for about couple of minutes.
Meanwhile, preheat the air fryer to 180C or 360F for 3 minutes. Use a spoon or a cookie mold to shape small pakoras from the mixture. Rough dollops work. You don’t have to try to make perfect mounds.
Place them in the air fryer basket on top of parchment paper, leaving a little space between each. I don’t spray the oil right away but do it after a few minutes of air frying time. By this time the pakoras get firmer in shape.
Air fry for about 10 minutes minutes at 180C or 360F, flipping once midway for even browning. They should look golden and crispy on the outside.
Your air fryer moong dal pakoras are ready to eat. Serve hot with green chutney or ketchup. They taste really good when hot, but can also be served at room temperature.

Video

Notes

1. Soak the dal well and add very little water while grinding. The batter needs to be thick and spoonable.

2. If the batter feels too wet, you can add a tablespoon of rice flour or besan to help it hold together.

3. Don’t overcrowd the air fryer basket so that the pakoras cook uniformly.

4. Flip the pakoras halfway through for even browning.

5. You may add finely chopped spinach, grated carrot or chopped peppers to the pakora batter if you so like.

6. You can make the batter ahead of time and store it in the fridge for a few hours. Just bring it to room temp before air frying.

7. The leftover moong dal pakoras can be stored in the fridge in airtight container for 2-3 days. Reheat in air fryer till heated through before serving.

Nutrition