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Battered And Deep-Fried Vegetables

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Battered And Deep-Fried Vegetables

Cuisine:Indian

Course:Side Dish

20m prep 15m cook 35m ready

4 to 6 servings Please read about Deep-Frying and About Battering Fried Foods. To fry larger pieces of very firm vegetables like sweet potatoes, parcook them to ensure they are tender by the time they finish frying. This may be accomplished by steaming or boiling until barely tender (for an example of this, see Jojos). PAKORAS Chickpea flour adds a wonderful, nutty savoriness to batters. It can be found at natural food stores and Indian groceries. We love preparing an assortment of vegetables this way. For another superlative fritter, see Spinach Pakoras.

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Ingredients

Servings:
½× 1× 1½× 2× 3×
Units:
As Written US Metric
  • 1
    • 2 ½ cups (290g) chickpea flour
    • ½ cup (65g) all-purpose flour
    • 2 teaspoons salt
    • 1 ¾ to 2 cups (415 to 475g) water
    • 3 inches vegetable oil
    Sub-recipe steps
    1. Combine in a medium bowl: 2 ½ cups (290g) chickpea flour; ½ cup (65g) all-purpose flour; 1 tablespoon garam masala or curry powder; 2 teaspoons salt
    2. Whisk in until smooth, adding the amount needed to reach the consistency of pancake batter: 1 ¾ to 2 cups (415 to 475g) water
    3. To fry, follow the directions in the specific recipe. Or, for a general procedure, heat to 365°F in a deep-fryer, deep heavy pot, or Dutch oven: 3 inches vegetable oil
    4. Pat the food dry. Drop 3 to 4 pieces of food into the batter at a time and turn to coat. Using tongs, lift out the food and drop gently into the hot fat. Do not crowd the pot. Fry until golden brown, 3 to 5 minutes, turning once or twice. Drain on a rack or on paper towels.
  • 3 inches vegetable oil
  • 2 pounds mixed vegetables, such as cauliflower, broccoli, zucchini, eggplant, onion, or peeled potatoes, sweet potatoes, or yams
  • 1
    • 2 pounds tomatoes, quartered
    • 1 head garlic, peeled and chopped
    • 4 serrano peppers, seeded and chopped
    • ⅓ cup vegetable or mustard oil
    • 1 ½ teaspoons black or yellow mustard seeds
    • 1 ½ teaspoons fenugreek seeds
    • ½ teaspoon fennel seeds
    • (½ teaspoon ajwain seeds)
    • (½ teaspoon nigella seeds)
    • (3 whole dried Kashmiri or árbol chiles)
    • 12 fresh curry leaves, coarsely chopped
    • 1 bay leaf
    • 2 teaspoons salt
    • (¼ teaspoon asafoetida)
    • Salt
    Sub-recipe steps
    1. Have ready: 2 pounds tomatoes, quartered; 1 head garlic, peeled and chopped; 4 serrano peppers, seeded and chopped
    2. Heat in a large saucepan over medium heat: ⅓ cup vegetable or mustard oil
    3. When the oil is hot, add and fry for 30 seconds: 1 ½ teaspoons black or yellow mustard seeds; 1 ½ teaspoons fenugreek seeds; ½ teaspoon fennel seeds; (½ teaspoon ajwain seeds); (½ teaspoon nigella seeds); (3 whole dried Kashmiri or árbol chiles)
    4. Standing back to avoid the sputtering oil, add: 12 fresh curry leaves, coarsely chopped; 1 bay leaf
    5. Add the garlic and serranos and cook for 2 minutes. Stir in the tomatoes and: 2 teaspoons salt; (¼ teaspoon asafoetida)
    6. Bring to a simmer and cook, stirring occasionally, over medium-low heat until most of the liquid has been cooked off, about 1 ½ hours. You will need to stir more frequently as the mixture reduces to prevent it from sticking to the pot and burning. Remove from the heat, remove the bay leaf, and let cool. Season to taste with: Salt
    7. Store, refrigerated, for up to 1 month.
  • 1
    • 3 inches vegetable oil
    • ½ cup cake flour
    • 1 ½ cups (165g) cake flour
    • ½ cup (65g) cornstarch
    • ½ teaspoon salt
    • 1 ½ cups (355g) ice-cold club soda
    • 2 large egg yolks
    Sub-recipe steps
    1. Heat to 365°F, or as directed in specific recipes, in a deep-fryer, deep heavy pot, or Dutch oven: 3 inches vegetable oil
    2. Spread on a plate and set aside: ½ cup cake flour
    3. Whisk together in a medium bowl: 1 ½ cups (165g) cake flour; ½ cup (65g) cornstarch; ½ teaspoon salt
    4. Combine in a large bowl: 1 ½ cups (355g) ice-cold club soda; 2 large egg yolks
    5. Add the cake flour/cornstarch mixture all at once to the club soda and gently mix in (do not use a whisk—a fork or a few chopsticks are ideal) as quickly but gently as possible. There will still be lumps in the batter and some undissolved bits of flour—this is what you want.
    6. To fry, follow the directions in the specific recipe. Or, for a general procedure, pat the food dry. Dredge 3 to 4 pieces of food in the reserved cake flour, then dip in the batter and immediately place in the hot oil. Do not crowd the pot. Fry in batches until golden and crisp, then drain on a rack or on paper towels.
  • 1
    • ¼ cup mirin
    • 2 tablespoons soy sauce
    • Pinch of sugar
    • (¼ cup grated daikon radish)
    • (½-inch piece ginger, peeled and minced or grated)
    Sub-recipe steps
    1. Combine in a small saucepan: 1 cup Dashi, or 1 cup water and 1 teaspoon instant dashi granules; ¼ cup mirin; 2 tablespoons soy sauce; Pinch of sugar
    2. Bring to a boil and remove from the heat. Serve warm. If desired, just before serving, stir in: (¼ cup grated daikon radish); (½-inch piece ginger, peeled and minced or grated)
  • Lemon wedges
  • 1
    • 1 cup (125g) all-purpose flour
    • 1 teaspoon salt
    • ¼ teaspoon black pepper
    • 2 large egg yolks
    • 1 tablespoon (15g) butter, melted
    • ¾ cup (175g) beer, poured and settled
    • (2 large egg whites)
    • 3 inches vegetable oil
    Sub-recipe steps
    1. Whisk together in a medium bowl until blended: 1 cup (125g) all-purpose flour; 1 teaspoon salt; ¼ teaspoon black pepper
    2. Whisk together in another medium bowl until blended: 2 large egg yolks; 1 tablespoon (15g) butter, melted
    3. Whisk in: ¾ cup (175g) beer, poured and settled
    4. Whisk the wet ingredients into the flour mixture just until smooth. If time permits, cover the bowl with plastic wrap and let stand for up to 2 hours at room temperature or for up to 12 hours in the refrigerator. If refrigerated, bring the batter to room temperature before proceeding.
    5. If desired, beat until stiff but not dry: (2 large egg whites)
    6. Fold the egg whites gently but thoroughly into the batter.
    7. To fry, follow the directions in the specific recipe. Or, for a general procedure, heat to 365°F in a deep-fryer, deep heavy pot, or Dutch oven: 3 inches vegetable oil
    8. Pat the food dry and drop 3 to 4 pieces at a time into the batter and turn to coat well. Using tongs, lift the food from the batter and drop gently into the hot fat. Do not crowd the pot. Fry until golden brown, 3 to 5 minutes, turning once or twice. Drain on a rack or on paper towels.
  • (Salt)
  • 1
    • 4 to 6 garlic cloves, to taste
    • 2 large egg yolks, at room temperature
    • ⅛ teaspoon salt
    • (White pepper to taste)
    • 1 cup olive oil (preferably ¾ cup refined olive oil and ¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil)
    • 1 teaspoon lemon juice
    • ½ teaspoon cold water
    Sub-recipe steps
    1. Mince or mash to a paste: 4 to 6 garlic cloves, to taste
    2. Place in a bowl and whisk together with: 2 large egg yolks, at room temperature; ⅛ teaspoon salt; (White pepper to taste)
    3. Very slowly, and whisking constantly, add, as for Mayonnaise I: 1 cup olive oil (preferably ¾ cup refined olive oil and ¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil)
    4. Whisk in: 1 teaspoon lemon juice; ½ teaspoon cold water
  • Lemon wedges or malt vinegar

Let's Prepare

Collect

Gather these ingredients - no prep needed yet.

  • 1 Pakora Batter
  • 3 inches vegetable oil
  • 2 pounds mixed vegetables, such as cauliflower, broccoli, zucchini, eggplant, onion, or peeled potatoes, sweet potatoes, or yams
  • 1 Tomato Achar, Raita, Cilantro-Mint Chutney, or Tamarind Chutney
  • 1 Tempura Batter
  • 1 Tempura Dipping Sauce
  • Lemon wedges
  • 1 Beer Batter
  • (Salt)
  • 1 Aïoli, Mayonnaise flavored with curry powder or chipotles in adobo, Tartar Sauce, or Quick Ketchup
  • Lemon wedges or malt vinegar

Let's Cook

  1. Step 1.

    Prepare in a large bowl: Pakora Batter

  2. Step 2.

    Preheat the oven to 200°F. Heat to 350°F in a deep-fryer, deep heavy pot, or Dutch oven: 3 inches vegetable oil

  3. Step 3.

    While the oil heats, prepare for frying: 2 pounds mixed vegetables, such as cauliflower, broccoli, zucchini, eggplant, onion, or peeled potatoes, sweet potatoes, or yams

  4. Step 4.

    Cut the broccoli or cauliflower into bite-sized florets; cut the zucchini and eggplant into ½-inch-thick rounds; cut the potatoes into ¼-inch-thick slices; cut the onions into ¼- to ½-inch-thick slices. Add the vegetables to the batter and toss to coat. Fry in batches until golden brown and crisp, 2 to 4 minutes depending on the vegetable. Do not crowd the pot. Remove from the oil with a spider or slotted spoon and drain on a baking sheet lined with paper towels. Keep the finished pakoras hot in the oven. Serve with any of the following: Tomato Achar, Raita, Cilantro-Mint Chutney, or Tamarind Chutney

  5. Step 5.

    TEMPURA

  6. Step 6.

    Some of our fondest, early food memories involve tucking into a plate of freshly fried mixed vegetable tempura. Prepare the tempura batter last and use it promptly. For a crunchier texture, pour 2 cups panko bread crumbs on a plate and dredge the battered vegetables in them before frying.

  7. Step 7.

    Preheat the oven and frying oil and prepare the vegetables as for I. Just before frying, prepare: Tempura Batter

  8. Step 8.

    Promptly dip the vegetable pieces into the batter one at a time and transfer to the hot oil. Fry in batches until crisp and cooked through, 2 to 4 minutes depending on the vegetable. Remove from the oil with a spider or slotted spoon and drain on a baking sheet lined with paper towels. Keep the finished tempura hot in the oven. Serve with: Tempura Dipping Sauce; Lemon wedges

  9. Step 9.

    BEER-BATTERED

  10. Step 10.

    Asparagus, broccoli, and mushrooms are perfectly at home in this all-purpose batter.

  11. Step 11.

    Prepare: Beer Batter

  12. Step 12.

    Preheat the oven and frying oil and prepare the vegetables as for I.

  13. Step 13.

    Dip the vegetable pieces into the batter one at a time and transfer to the hot oil. Fry in batches until crisp and cooked through, 2 to 4 minutes depending on the vegetable. Remove from the oil with a spider or slotted spoon and drain on a baking sheet lined with paper towels. If desired, sprinkle with: (Salt)

  14. Step 14.

    Keep hot in the oven. Serve with: Aïoli, Mayonnaise flavored with curry powder or chipotles in adobo, Tartar Sauce, or Quick Ketchup; Lemon wedges or malt vinegar

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