Onion Pakoras

Fragrant, spicy and crunchy, this Indian favorite makes a great afternoon snack. You can dip the pakoras in a simple yogurt sauce or store-bought tamarind sauce for extra flavor. This recipe makes enough pakoras for 4 people.

PREP TIME: 10 minutes
COOK TIME: 30 minutes

Ingredients
For the yogurt sauce:
1 cup plain yogurt
Juice from 1 fresh lemon
1/4 cucumber, peeled and finely chopped
Salt and pepper, to taste

For the pakoras:
2 medium red onions, thinly sliced
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon chili powder
1/4 teaspoon ground turmeric
2 teaspoons freshly grated ginger
Small handful fresh cilantro, finely chopped
1 small green chili, seeded, pith removed and minced
1 cup chickpea flour
2 tablespoons rice flour
3-4 cups vegetable oil

Directions
Make the yogurt sauce: Mix all sauce ingredients together in a non-reactive bowl. Cover and refrigerate until ready to use.

Add onions, salt, chili powder, turmeric, ginger, cilantro and green chili to a mixing bowl. Mix to combine with your (clean) hands. Let rest for 10 minutes. Add chickpea flour, rice flour and 2 tablespoons vegetable oil; mix to combine.

Heat 1-2 cups oil in a deep skillet to medium on the stove top. To ensure the oil is the correct temperature, drop just a pinch of the pakora batter into the oil; it should begin frying immediately and not sink. Begin dropping in pakora batter to the oil in tablespoon amounts, making sure not to overcrowd the pan. Cook until the pakoras are golden brown, about 5-6 minutes, flipping once in the middle of cooking. Once cooked, removed with a slotted spoon to a paper towel-lined plate to drain. Repeat process until all batter has been used. Serve immediately.