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paneer pakora.
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5 from 29 votes

Paneer Pakora

Crispy and crunchy from the outside, soft and moist inside, these paneer pakoras are so delicious and easy to make. They are perfect with a cup of masala chai and also make great party appetizers. Gluten-free, freezer-friendly, and ready in 10 minutes.
Prep Time5 minutes
Cook Time10 minutes
Total Time15 minutes
Course: Snack
Cuisine: Indian
Diet: Gluten Free, Hindu, Vegetarian
Servings: 4
Calories: 349kcal
Author: Shilpa Kerur

Ingredients

For the batter:

Instructions

Marinate the paneer:

  • Cut the paneer into medium-sized cubes and place them in a bowl.
  • Sprinkle chili powder, chaat masala, and salt.
  • Toss them gently to make sure the paneer is coated with the spices.

Make the batter:

  • Start with heating oil in a pan or kadhai for deep frying.
  • In a large bowl, combine besan, rice flour, carom seeds, chili powder, ground turmeric, and salt. Mix well.
  • Slowly add water and make a thick and free-flowing batter. Start with ½ cup of water and add more as needed.
  • Add baking soda and mix again. The batter is ready.

Fry the pakoras:

  • Check if the oil is ready. Take a drop of the batter and pour in the oil. If it immediately floats to the top, the oil is ready.
  • Reduce the heat to medium.
  • Dip the paneer cube in the batter making sure it is well coated.
  • Carefully slide the paneer into the oil.
  • Repeat with more paneer cubes, however, do not overcrowd the pan.
  • Do not disturb for one minute.
  • Carefully flip and fry until both sides are golden brown.
  • Take them out and drain them on a paper towel.
  • Serve with chutney, ketchup or dip of your choice.

Notes

Make sure the batter is thick yet free-flowing. If it is too thick, it will not cook well, and if it is too runny, it will not coat the paneer cubes.
Season the paneer cubes first before dipping them in the thick batter. This way, they will not taste bland.
Check if the oil is ready. Take a drop of the batter and pour in the oil. If it immediately floats to the top, the oil is ready. Also, do not overcrowd the pan when deep frying. Depending on the size of the pan, fry them in two or three batches.
Do not disturb the pakoras for one minute after adding to the oil. This allows the coating to set and the paneer to stay intact. Flip them only after that.

Nutrition

Calories: 349kcal | Carbohydrates: 18g | Protein: 17g | Fat: 23g | Saturated Fat: 13g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 0.4g | Cholesterol: 56mg | Sodium: 661mg | Potassium: 206mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 2g | Vitamin A: 157IU | Vitamin C: 0.04mg | Calcium: 419mg | Iron: 1mg