Stuffed with flavorful spiced mashed potatoes, these deep-fried Aloo Bread Pakoras are a beloved North Indian street food. They are typically accompanied by vibrant green chutney, tangy tomato sauce and a cup of fragrant masala chai, making them a delightful snack option.
6-8white sandwich bread slices(use gluten-free bread if gluten intolerant)
oil to deep fry, refer to notes
Instructions
Besan batter
Sift the besan through a sieve in a big enough bowl. Combine salt, turmeric powder, red chili powder & ajwain (lightly rub between the palms before adding to release the flavor) with the sifted besan.
Gradually add water to make a medium thick, flowing smooth batter. The amount of water used will vary slightly depending on the besan, as every bag of besan is different.
Mix continuously using a spoon or a whisk for 3-5 minutes.
Keep aside and let the batter rest for 10-15 minutes.
Potato filling
Heat oil in a big enough wok or a frying pan on medium heat.
Sauté the chili.
Reduce the heat and add the mashed potatoes, salt, turmeric powder, red chili powder, amchoor, garam masala, ground black pepper & anardana.
Mix thoroughly & mash any big lumps of potatoes.
Turn off the heat and combine the coriander/cilantro.
Let the potato filling cool down.
Assemble & fry the pakodas
Heat enough oil in a wok or a deep pan on medium-high heat for frying.
Add baking soda to the besan batter and gently mix again.
Divide the potato filling into 3-4 equal portions.
Take a single portion of the potato filling and evenly spread it onto a slice of bread. Place another slice on top to create a sandwich. Gently apply pressure to the upper slice and cut diagonally. Repeat the process with the remaining bread slices, making 6-8 sandwich triangles.
Dip one sandwich triangle into the besan batter, ensuring even coating on all sides. Shake off any excess batter.
Immediately add to the hot oil to deep fry. Carefully pour hot oil over the top of the pakoda using a spoon. Once the underside is cooked and golden brown, flip over to cook the top side. Cook on medium heat till golden brown.
Once done, remove using a spider strainer/slotted spoon and drain the excess oil. Place them on a kitchen paper towel to help absorb any leftover oil.
Repeat with the remaining sandwiches till finished. The sandwich should be coated in the besan batter just before frying. Do not coat the sandwich with batter if it is not ready to fry immediately.
Serve with coriander chutney (recipe link in the Notes), tomato sauce and masala chai.
Video
Notes
1 cup = 250ml
The cooking time does not include the time needed to boil and cool down potatoes.
Besan (gram flour/chana dal flour) is easily available at Indian grocery stores.
Ajwain, Amchoor & Anardana are easily available at Indian grocery stores.
Anardana - if you don’t have Anardana, increase the quantity of amchoor by the same.
Oil - It’s very important to have the oil at the right temperature. If the oil is too hot, the pakoras will brown quickly from outside but remain undercooked from inside. If the oil is not hot enough, the pakoras will absorb a lot of oil and become very oily. To check the oil temperature, put a drop of batter in the oil, it should come up immediately. In that case, the oil is ready and immediately put in the pakora to fry. If the oil is not hot enough, wait for some time before frying the pakoras.
Calories information is approximate, calculated using online Recipe Calorie & Nutrition Calculator. The nutritional information does not take into account the oil used for deep-frying.
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