Pakodas are popular street food and tea-time snack in India, prepared especially during the monsoon season. There are many variations from traditional onion pakodas to cabbage, corn, potato, or spinach pakoda. They are typically enjoyed with chutneys and hot cup of tea. Today I am sharing a very unique and healthy pakoda recipe using Zucchini. These Indian-style zucchini fritters can be deep-fried, baked, or air-fried. To ensure crispiness, avoid adding extra water to the batter, as zucchini naturally releases moisture. You might also enjoy trying my zucchini bajji recipe.
Zucchini Pakora Ingredients
Zucchini - I like to use fresh, tender green zucchini. Besan Flour (Gram Flour) - is a gluten-free flour primarily used as a binding agent. If you can’t find besan, you can substitute it with chickpea flour. Rice Flour - is added to make the pakoras crispy. You can easily find it in Indian grocery stores. If you can’t find it, replace it with cornstarch or you can skip it. Green Chili - I have used 2 Thai green chilies for the heat. You can increase or decrease according to your preference. Ginger - is added for the flavor, so don’t skip it. Fresh Herbs - I like to use coriander leaves as they give a wonderful flavor. You can also add some chopped curry leaves and mint leaves. Spices & Seasoning - Adding spices like cumin seeds, turmeric, and garam masala can elevate the flavors of pakodas.
How to Make Zucchini Pakoda (Zucchini Fritters)
Grate the zucchini along with its skin, then squeeze out any excess water from it. This water can be used in curries or soups for added flavor. You’ll get approximately 1 cup of shredded zucchini from 1 medium-sized zucchini. Add all ingredients except rice flour and besan to a large mixing bowl. Mix everything well gently. The zucchini would have released some more moisture. Furthermore, add besan and rice flour to the mixture and mix well until it reaches a stiff consistency. Be careful not to make the batter too runny. Heat oil in a deep frying pan or kadai over medium heat. Once the oil is hot, take small portions of the zucchini batter using your fingers or a spoon and carefully drop them into the hot oil. If the batter is too runny, add an extra one to two tablespoons of besan (or chickpea flour), to thicken it slightly. Fry them till they are golden brown in color and crisp, stirring occasionally to ensure even cooking. Once done, remove the fried pakoras using a slotted spoon and drain excess oil on a paper towel-lined plate. Sprinkle some chaat masala on top and serve Zucchini (Courgette) pakoda with ketchup and masala tea.
Variations
You can add other vegetables like onions, potatoes, cabbage, sweet corn, and chopped spinach or kale. Dont have cumin seeds? no problem, replace it with ajwain (carrom seeds). Ajwain enhances the flavor of the dish and also helps to aid digestion. If you don’t have garam masala, then replace it with chaat masala.
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