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Crispy Air Fryer Onion Pakora (Bhaji)

A stack of golden brown, crispy air fryer onion pakora served on a light gray plate.
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Make perfectly crispy, low-oil onion pakoras using your air fryer. This recipe delivers the classic Indian snack flavor without deep frying.

Ingredients

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  • 2 large onions, thinly sliced
  • 1 cup gram flour (besan)
  • 1/4 cup rice flour
  • 1 teaspoon salt, or to taste
  • 1 teaspoon red chili powder
  • 1 teaspoon ground cumin
  • 1/2 teaspoon turmeric powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon garam masala
  • 1 tablespoon fresh ginger, minced
  • 1 green chili, finely chopped (optional)
  • 2 tablespoons fresh cilantro, chopped
  • 1/4 cup water, approximately
  • Cooking spray or 1 teaspoon oil for brushing

Instructions

  1. In a large bowl, combine the sliced onions, gram flour, rice flour, salt, red chili powder, cumin, turmeric, and garam masala.
  2. Add the minced ginger, chopped green chili, and cilantro to the onion mixture.
  3. Mix everything well with your hands. The onions will start releasing moisture.
  4. Add the water slowly, mixing until you get a thick, slightly sticky batter. The batter should coat the onions but not be runny; it needs to hold its shape for the air fryer.
  5. Preheat your air fryer to 380°F (195°C) for 5 minutes.
  6. Lightly spray the air fryer basket with cooking spray or brush with a little oil.
  7. Carefully drop spoonfuls of the batter into the preheated basket, leaving space between each pakora. Do not overcrowd the basket.
  8. Lightly spray the tops of the pakoras with cooking spray or brush with a few drops of oil for better browning.
  9. Air fry for 10 to 12 minutes.
  10. At the halfway mark (around 6 minutes), carefully flip the pakoras.
  11. Continue air frying until they are deep golden brown and crisp on the outside.
  12. Remove the first batch and repeat with the remaining batter, re-spraying the basket if needed.
  13. Serve your crispy onion pakora hot with mint chutney or ketchup.

Notes

  • For the best texture, do not add too much water; the batter must be thick enough to hold its shape.
  • If you want a slightly different flavor, add 1/2 teaspoon of dried fenugreek leaves (kasuri methi) to the dry ingredients.
  • If your onions are very thick, slice them thinner so they cook through evenly in the air fryer.

Nutrition

Find it online: https://carlacooking.com/air-fryer-onion-pakora-recipe-crispy/