¾cupWaterYou may need more or less depending on quality and freshness of besan.
Oilfor deep frying
Instructions
Make Batter: Take besan, rice flour, salt, turmeric powder, red chili powder, and ajwain in a bowl.
Mix it evenly with a spoon. Add water a little at a time and mix to make a smooth, lump-free batter. Do not dump all the water at once.
Whisk the batter for 3-5 minutes vigorously until it becomes fluffy and lighter in color.
Cover and rest for 10 minutes.
Medium thick batter (right consistency): When you drizzle the batter back into the bowl, the ribbons are forming but within seconds it will mix into the batter. Meaning it’s not holding its shape like earlier in a thick batter. Ribbons will hold its shape when the batter is too thick. Ribbons will not form at all if the batter is thin.
Slicing Potatoes: Scrub and wash the potatoes, peel, and slice into ⅛ inch thick slices. I have done it by hand using a knife. You can use a mandoline slicer for uniform slices.
Frying: While you are slicing the potatoes, heat oil in a kadai or pan for deep frying on medium-high heat.
Check if the oil is ready for frying or not. Drop a tiny amount of batter into the oil and it should come to the surface of the oil right away. If it settles at the bottom and takes some time to come on top then the oil is still not ready for frying.
Once the oil is hot enough for frying, take one potato slice, dip into the batter, and let the excess batter drip, slide it carefully into the hot oil. Repeat this until the pan is full. You’ll notice they will puff up nicely.
Once the bottom side is golden brown, flip them using a slotted spatula and fry another side until crisp and golden brown. Notice that there are so many bubbles and hissing sounds in the beginning as aloo pakora still has moisture in it. As it gets fried and crispy, the bubbles start to get less and less meaning there is not much moisture left and aloo pakora has become crispy.
Once fried, remove them using a slotted spatula, drain the excess oil, and add into a strainer (that is kept on a plate). Repeat the frying process until done.
Notes
The batter consistency has to be medium thick. The thick batter won’t give you a crispy outer layer and the potato vs layer ratio will be off. The thin, watery batter won’t stick to potato slices.
Always fry aloo pakora on medium heat. Oil has to be at the right temperature to get the best texture. As you add pakora to the oil and you see the oil temperature is dropping that time increase the heat to medium-high and later again lower it back to medium. So you need to adjust the heat accordingly.
Never add baking soda as it makes the oily and soft pakora.
Remove fried potato pakora on a strainer or a cooling rack (not in a paper towel lined plate). By doing so, air will circulate from everywhere and it prevents them from getting soft.
Use leftover batter: Store it in the fridge for 2 days. You can add some more spices (like chili powder, garam masala), chopped green chilies, ginger garlic paste, and some finely chopped veggies to make a chilla batter. Make chilla or puda and you’ll have breakfast for the next day.
Reheating aloo pakora in air fryer: Arrange potato bajji in air fryer basket in a single layer. Air fry them at 370°F (190°C) for 2-3 minutes or until crispy.