Onion Pakora with Masala Chai
Pakoras and chai are a monsoon classic — crispy, spiced fritters and a bold, milky masala chai, made to be enjoyed together. The pakoras are golden and craggy, packed with sweet red onion, spinach, and fresh herbs in a besan batter that fries up impossibly crunchy. The chai is properly simmered, deeply spiced, and just sweet enough to balance every fiery bite. Both come together in under 30 minutes.
Ingredients
For the Pakoras
- 2 Red Onions (thinly sliced)
- 60 g Fresh Spinach (roughly chopped)
- 20 g Fresh Cilantro (finely chopped)
- 2 Green Chilies (finely chopped, adjust to heat preference)
- 2 Garlic Cloves (minced)
- 130 g Gram Flour
- 1 tsp Red Chili Powder (adjust to taste)
- 1/2 tsp Cumin Powder
- 1/2 tsp Turmeric
- 1 tsp Carrom Seeds
- Salt & Pepper (to taste)
- 2-3 tbsp Water (only if needed, to bring batter together)
For the Masala Chai
- 250 ml Water
- 250 ml Whole Milk
- 2 tsp Loose Black Tea Leaves (strong Assam or Darjeeling works)
- 4 Green Cardamom Pods (lightly crushed)
- 1 tsp Fresh Ginger (crushed)
- 1-2 tsp Sugar (adjust to taste)
Instructions
The Pakoras
- Prep the Vegetables: Thinly slice the red onions into half-moons and roughly chop the spinach. Finely chop the cilantro and green chillies, and mince the garlic cloves. Add everything to a large mixing bowl.
- Add the Spices: Add the carrom seeds, red chilli powder, cumin powder, turmeric, and salt to the vegetable mix. Toss well so the spices coat everything evenly. Let it sit for 3–4 minutes — the salt will start drawing moisture out of the onions, which helps the batter come together naturally.
- Add the Besan: Sift in the gram flour and cornstarch over the vegetable mixture and mix thoroughly with your hands. The natural moisture from the onions and spinach should be enough to bring the batter together into a thick, slightly sticky mix that holds its shape. Add water 1 tablespoon at a time only if the mix feels too dry.
- Heat the Oil: Pour oil into a deep saucepan or kadai to a depth of about 3–4 cm and heat over medium-high. To test if the oil is ready, drop a tiny bit of batter in — it should rise to the surface within 2–3 seconds and sizzle steadily.
- Fry: Working in batches, drop loosely packed spoonfuls of the mixture into the hot oil — don't compress them, you want those craggy edges that crisp up beautifully. Fry for 3–4 minutes per batch, turning halfway, until deeply golden all over. Remove with a slotted spoon and drain on paper towels.
The Right Batter Consistency: The mix should be just wet enough to clump together when pressed. Too wet = greasy, flat fritters. Too dry = they fall apart in the oil.
Don't Crowd the Pan: Frying too many at once drops the oil temperature and leads to soggy, oil-heavy pakoras. Two batches is always better than one sad batch.
Masala Chai
- Crush the Aromatics: Using a mortar and pestle, crush the ginger and cardamom pods together until you have a coarse, fragrant paste.
- Simmer the Spiced Water: Add the water to a small saucepan along with the crushed ginger, cardamom, and chai masala. Bring to a boil over medium heat and let it simmer for 2–3 minutes until deeply fragrant.
- Add the Tea: Add the loose tea leaves directly to the simmering spiced water and brew for 1–2 minutes until the water turns a deep, dark amber.
- Add the Milk: Pour in the milk and bring back up to a boil. Once it rises, lower the heat and simmer gently for another 3–4 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the chai is a rich caramel colour. Add sugar to taste.
- Strain and Serve: Strain through a fine mesh strainer into glasses or mugs. Serve immediately alongside your hot pakoras.
Keep a close watch: Chai has a habit of boiling over the moment you turn your back — I learned this the hard way! Keep your eyes on the pan and lower the heat as soon as it starts climbing the sides.
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