Pan-Fried Onion Pakoras

These easy onion pakoras go well with most meals but we love them best, as above, with a Cauliflower, Chickpea and Cashew Curry. Or better known at Cafe Drake HRV as our Triple C Curry.

The thrill of these pakoras is that they're pan-fried in just a bit of oil, not deep fried as previously thought required.

A non-stick, or iron, skillet is preferred but not essential to frying the pakoras.

A crisp exterior and dense, moist inside make these pakoras absolutely addictive. To curb excess, try serving just two or three per diner, with your favorite curry, stew or soup.

Mix in a medium-size bowl 1 cup chickpea flour, 1 t. salt, 1 t. cumin seeds, a large pinch of nigella/kalonji seeds (omit if you don't have them handy) and 1-2 T. dried fenugreek leaves. Season to your taste with cayenne pepper. Add 2/3 cup water and combine to make a batter.

Now stir in 2 chopped red onions; the pieces should be around 1" in size. 

Heat 2 T. vegetable oil in a large, non-stick skillet over a medium flame. When the oil is very hot, proceed. You can gauge if the oil is ready by flicking a tiny bit of batter in to the pan; it should sizzle instantly.

Drop heaping teaspoons of the battered onions into the hot skillet. Fry for 4-5 minutes total, flipping the pakoras at least once to ensure even cooking.

Drain on paper towels and sprinkle with a bit more salt.

As you'll be working in batches, keep the fried pakoras warm in a 200 degree F. oven.

Serve as a side dish or, along with chutney, for a cocktail snack.