Bread Pakora is a popular and tasty snack of deep fried bread fritters from the North Indian Cuisine, especially Punjabi Cuisine. I share two ways of making Punjabi style bread pakoda recipes in this recipe post.
- Stuffed Bread pakora – Made with a stuffing of mashed & spiced potatoes, dipped in gram flour batter and then deep-fried.
- Plain Bread Pakora made without stuffing – Simply batter coated and deep fried.
Both the recipes can be made easily. The stuffed bread pakora recipe has some preparation to be done while the plain bread pakoda recipe is a breeze to make.
What is Bread Pakoda
In English you can simply call Bread Pakoda as Bread Fritters. Note that these are savory fritters and not sweet.
A simple bread pakoda would have halved bread slices dipped and coated in gram flour batter and deep fried.
The bread pakoda sold on the street side stalls and restaurants in India have the spiced tangy mashed potato stuffing. You can even add some steamed green peas of paneer (firm cottage cheese) to the potato stuffing.
Typically carom seeds (ajwain) and a few spices are added to the batter. Carom seeds give a nice aroma and also help in digestion. You can even add a pinch of asafoetida (hing), grated or chopped ginger in the batter – both of which help in digestion.
Bread pakora is a favorite breakfast and tea time snack at our home. We love these bread fritters and enjoy it with a sweet tangy dipping sauce or a spicy chutney accompanied with a cup of hot Indian masala chai.
In fact my fond memories of bread pakora are of course having them on street-side stalls and also having these during the weekend for breakfasts.
Tips for Best Bread Pakoda
- Potatoes: Use potatoes which have a hight starch content like Idaho or Russet potatoes. You don’t want to use potatoes which are new potatoes or having a gluey gummy texture.
- Gram Flour: Most Indian fritter recipes are made with Gram Flour which is flour made from husked and split chana dal. Chana dal is also called as bengal gram. Basically these are brown chickpeas which have been hulled and split. That said, you can even use chickpea flour which is made from white chickpeas (garbanzo beans or kabuli chana).
- Spices and Herbs: You can make a number of variations in the recipe by adding different combinations of spices and herbs both in the batter as well as in the potato stuffing. Fresh herbs like mint leaves, cilantro (coriander leaves), ginger, garlic and spices like green chillies, ground cumin or ground coriander powder, red chilli powder, black pepper powder, curry powder or garam masala can be added.
- Oily Pakoda: To avoid oily pakoda, fry at medium heat in the oil. Do not fry on a low heat as then the pakoda will absorb more oil. Frying on a high heat will cook and brown the batter from outside leaving the insides raw and uncooked.
Pro tip: Adding 1 to 2 teaspoons hot oil to the batter helps in making the pakoda crisp and reduces the oil absorption. - Batter Consistency: For the batter make a medium consistency batter. A thick batter will be dense and not have a soft, fluffy outer texture. A thin batter will make the pakoda soggy by absorbing too much oil.
- Scaling: You can easily halve or double the recipe.
How to make Potato Stuffed Bread Pakora
Preparing the Potato Filling
1. Boil or steam 2 medium-sized or 1 large potato in a pressure cooker or steamer till they are completely cooked. When the potatoes become warm, then peel it. Grate and keep aside. You can also mash and keep aside.
a) Cooking potatoes in a stove-top pressure cooker: Rinse and place them in a 2-litre pressure cooker. Add enough water just about covering them. Pressure cook on a medium flame for 4 to 5 whistles. Drain the water. Let the potatoes become warm. Peel, grate or mash.
b) Cooking potatoes in a pan: Rinse, peel and then dice potatoes. Add the chopped potatoes in a pan. Add water just enough to cover them. You can add a bit of salt. Cover and cook potatoes till they are softened. Later drain all the water very well. When the potatoes become warm then peel and grate them. You can even mash them.
c) Cooking in an Instant Pot: Rinse and place the potatoes in the inner steel insert of the Instant Pot. Add enough water just about covering the potatoes. Pressure cook on high for 8 to 10 minutes. Give a quick pressure release (QPR) after 5 to 7 minutes. Check to see if the potatoes are cooked. If underdone, then pressure cook for some more minutes. Remove the potatoes with pasta tongs. Let them become warm or cool at room temperature. Then peel and mash.
2. Add 1 tablespoon chopped coriander leaves, 2 tablespoons chopped mint leaves, 1 to 2 green chillies (finely chopped), ¼ teaspoon red chilli powder, ¼ teaspoon garam masala powder, ½ teaspoon dry mango powder (amchur powder) and salt as per taste to the grated potatoes. Substitute ½ teaspoon lemon juice for dry mango powder.
3. Mix the spices & herbs very well with the mashed potatoes. Check the seasonings and adjust accordingly. Keep aside.
Making Bread Pakora Batter
4. In a bowl, take 1 cup besan (gram flour), ½ teaspoon carom seeds (ajwain), ¼ teaspoon red chilli powder or cayenne pepper, 1 to 2 pinches turmeric powder, ¼ teaspoon garam masala powder, 1 pinch asafoetida (hing) and salt as required. Add 1 to 2 pinches of baking soda to the batter. Adding baking soda is completely optional but it helps in making the outer batter coating of the pakoda light and fluffy.
5. First add ½ cup water and mix very well. The batter should not be very thick nor too thin. If the batter is too thick, then add more water. Overall you can add ½ to ⅔ cup of water depending on the quality and texture of the flour.
6. To the batter, add 1 to 2 teaspoons of hot oil when you keep the oil for deep frying on the stove-top. Mix well. Whisk briskly non-stop for 1 to 2 minutes to incorporate some air in the batter. Keep the ready batter aside.
Assembling Bread Pakora
7. On the chopping board, slice the bread into triangle or rectangle slices.
8. Take around 2 to 3 tablespoons of the mashed potato mixture and spread it on the bread evenly.
9. Cover this potato stuffed slice with another slice. You now have a triangular bread sandwich. Just slightly press the sandwich.
Frying Bread Pakora
10. Heat the oil for deep frying and check if the oil is ready by adding a drop of the batter. If the batter starts sizzling and comes gradually on the surface of the oil, the oil is ready. If the batter does not come up on the surface, then the oil needs to get more hot. If the batter comes very quickly on top, the oil is too hot.
11. Take the entire sandwich in your hand and dip it in the besan batter.
12. Coat the stuffed bread sandwich evenly with the besan batter. Be gentle with the sandwich. Take care not to keep the stuffed bread sandwich a long time in the batter as the bread tends to break.
You can hold the batter bowl in your left hand and then bring it near the pan or kadai having the oil. Take the bread and gently coat it with the batter. Slid off the extra batter on the edges of the bowl and then move the batter coated bread from the bowl to the pan or kadai having the hot oil. Place the batter coated bread gently in the hot oil.
13. Gently slid the besan batter coated bread sandwich in the oil. Be careful while placing the batter coated bread in hot oil. Place gently.
14. Add two to three pieces of bread pakora depending on the size of the kadai, but do not overcrowd the kadai or pan. Begin to deep fry on a medium to medium-high flame.
15. When one side is light golden, gently turn over and fry the second side. Be careful when turning over as these are heavy. So turn over gently and carefully.
16. Gently flip a couple of times more and fry on a medium to medium-high flame till they are crisp and golden brown.
17. Remove the crisp and golden fried pakora with a slotted spoon draining the extra oil.
18. Place the fried bread pakora on kitchen absorbent tissues so that excess oil is absorbed. In the same way, fry the remaining bread pakoda and place them too on kitchen paper towels to remove excess oil.
19. Serve Bread Pakora hot or warm with tomato ketchup or with any chutney of your choice like sweet tamarind chutney. You can serve these tasty aloo bread pakora with mint-coriander chutney and dry onion-garlic chutney or even with coconut chutney.
Few more Bread Snacks Recipes
- Bread roll – Crisp and tasty fried bread roll with a soft spiced mashed potato filling.
- Bread Upma – An easy and quick variation of upma made with bread.
- Bread pizza – A variation of pizza with bread and cooked on a frying pan or skillet.
- Grilled sandwich – Easy & healthy veggie grilled sandwich.
This recipe post from the archives has been republished and updated on 22 May 2020.
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Bread Pakora | Punjabi Style Bread Pakoda
By Dassana Amit
Ingredients
for stuffing
- 2 medium-sized potatoes or 1 large potato or 175 grams potatoes
- 1 to 2 green chillies chopped or about 1 teaspoon chopped green chilies
- 1 tablespoon coriander leaves - chopped (cilantro leaves)
- 2 teaspoons mint leaves - chopped (optional)
- ¼ teaspoon red chilli powder
- ¼ teaspoon garam masala powder
- ½ teaspoon dry mango powder (amchur powder) or add as required
- salt as required
for batter
- 1 cup besan (gram flour)
- ½ teaspoon carom seeds (ajwain) - skip if you do not have
- ¼ tsp red chilli powder
- 1 to 2 pinches turmeric powder - optional
- ¼ tsp garam masala powder
- 1 pinch asafoetida (hing)
- 1 to 2 pinches baking soda - optional
- ½ to ⅔ cup water or add as required
- salt as required
other ingredients
- 4 to 5 slices of whole wheat bread or brown bread or white bread
- oil for deep frying as required
Instructions
Making Stuffing
- Boil or steam the potato in a pressure cooker or steamer till it is completely cooked.
- When the potato becomes warm, then peel it. Grate and keep aside. You can also mash and keep aside.
- Add the coriander leaves, mint leaves, green chilli, red chilli powder, turmeric powder, amchur powder, salt to the grated potatoes.
- Mix the spices & herbs very well with the mashed potatoes. Check the seasonings and adjust accordingly. Keep aside.
Making Bread Pakora Batter
- In a bowl, take the besan (gram flour), ajwain, red chilli powder, garam masala powder, asafoetida, baking soda (optional) and salt.
- Now add around ½ cup of water and mix very well.
- The batter should not be very thick nor too thin. If the batter is too thick, then add more water.
- Add 1 to 2 teaspoons of hot oil when you keep the oil for deep frying in the batter. Mix well. Whisk briskly non-stop for 1 to 2 minutes to incorporate some air in the batter.
Assembling Bread Pakora
- On the chopping board, slice the bread into triangle or rectangle slices.
- Take around 2 to 3 tablespoons of the mashed potato mixture and spread it on the bread evenly.
- Cover this potato stuffed slice with another slice. You now have a triangular bread sandwich. Just slightly press the sandwich.
- Take the entire sandwich in your hand and dip it in the besan batter.
- Coat the stuffed bread sandwich evenly with the besan batter. Be gentle with the sandwich. Take care not to keep the stuffed bread sandwich a long time in the batter as the bread tends to break.
Frying Bread Pakora
- By now, your oil is hot and you can easily slid the besan batter coated bread sandwich in the oil.
- Fry on a medium flame till they are crisp and golden brown.
- Drain them on a tissue paper. So that excess oil is absorbed.
- Serve bread pakora hot or warm with tomato sauce or with any chutney of your choice, or even coconut chutney.
- Enjoy the bread pakoda in the rains with a cup of indian ginger tea or masala tea.
Notes
- Potatoes: Potatoes which have a hight starch content like Idaho or Russet potatoes work best. Avoid using new potatoes.
- Gram Flour: Indian fritters are usually made with gram flour which is flour made from husked and split chana dal. Chana dal is also called as bengal gram. Basically these are brown chickpeas which have been hulled and split. That said, you can even use chickpea flour which is made from white chickpeas (garbanzo beans or kabuli chana).
- Spices and Herbs: You can make a number of variations in the recipe by adding different combinations of spices and herbs both in the batter as well as in the potato stuffing. Add fresh herbs and spices like mint leaves, cilantro (coriander leaves), ginger, garlic or ginger-garlic paste, green chillies, ground cumin, ground coriander powder, red chilli powder, black pepper powder, curry powder or garam masala and chaat masala. You can increase or decrease the number of spices as per your taste.
- Oily Pakoda: Fry at medium heat in the oil so that the pakoda do not absorb too much oil. Do not fry on a low heat as then the pakoda will absorb more oil. Frying on a high heat will cook and brown the batter from outside leaving the insides raw and uncooked. Adding 1 to 2 teaspoons hot oil to the batter helps in making the pakoda crisp and reduces the oil absorption.
- Batter Consistency: For the batter make a medium consistency batter. A thick batter will be dense and not have a soft, fluffy outer texture. A thin batter will make the pakoda soggy by absorbing too much oil.
- Scaling: You can easily halve or double the recipe.
- Substitute for Dry Mango Powder: Substitute ½ teaspoon lemon juice for dry mango powder.
- Carom seeds: Skip carom seeds if you do not have them.
Nutrition Info Approximate values
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Plain Bread Pakora
Like I have mentioned above Plain Bread Pakora is a quick delicious snack of bread coated with spiced gram flour batter and then deep-fried. This pakoda is made without any stuffing.
For the recipe you can use any type of bread. But let me tell you pakoda made with White Bread tastes the best. However, for a wholesome option, you could use Brown Bread, Wheat Bread, multi grain bread, wheat germ bread or Wheat Sandwich Bread etc.
Serve Plain Bread Pakora with any chutney or dip like sweet tamarind dates chutney or mint coriander chutney or even coconut chutney or tomato ketchup or mint chutney.
How to make Plain Bread Pakoda
1. In a mixing bowl, take all the dry ingredients – 1 cup gram flour (besan), ½ tsp carom seeds (ajwain), ½ tsp red chili powder, ¼ tsp garam masala powder and two pinches of baking soda. Add salt as required.
2. Add the wet ingredients – ½ tsp oil and water to make a medium thick batter. Add water in parts and about ⅔ to ¾ cup water or as required.
3. Whisk to a smooth batter without any lumps.
4. Slice the bread slices in rectangles or triangles.
5. Dip each slice in the batter and evenly coat it with the batter.
6. Place the batter coated bread slice in medium hot oil for frying. Also, add a few more batter coated slices.
7. Fry the pakoras on medium hot oil turning over a couple of times to ensure even cooking and browning.
8. Fry till crisp and golden.
9. Remove with a slotted or perforated spoon and drain as much oil as possible.
10. Place them on kitchen paper towels to drain excess oil.
11. Sprinkle a bit of chaat masala on them. Serve Plain Bread Pakoda hot with tomato ketchup or coriander chutney or sweet tamarind chutney or any chutney or dip of your choice.
Plain Bread Pakora
By Dassana Amit
Ingredients
- 5 to 6 bread slices can use white, brown, whole wheat or multi grain bread
- 1 cup besan (gram flour)
- ½ teaspoon ajwain (carom seeds)
- ½ teaspoon red chili powder
- ¼ teaspoon garam masala powder
- ½ teaspoon oil
- 2 pinches baking soda
- ⅔ to ¾ cup water or add as required
- salt as required
- oil for deep frying
Instructions
making pakoda batter
- In a mixing bowl, take all the dry ingredients - 1 cup gram flour, 1/2 tsp carom seeds (ajwain), 1/2 tsp red chili powder, 1/4 tsp garam masala powder and two pinches of baking soda.
- Add the wet ingredients - 1/2 tsp oil and water to make a medium thick batter.
- Add water in parts and about ⅔ to ¾ cup water or as required.
- Whisk to a smooth batter without any lumps.
making besan bread pakoda
- Slice the bread slices in rectangles or triangles.
- Dip each slice in the batter and evenly coat it with the batter.
- Place the batter coated bread slice in medium hot oil for frying. Also add a few more batter coated slices.
- Fry them on medium hot oil turning over a couple of times to ensure even cooking and browning.
- Fry till crisp and golden.
- Remove with a slotten or perforated spoon and drain as much oil as possible.
- Place them on kitchen paper towels to drain excess oil.
- Sprinkle a bit of chaat masala on them.
- Serve these besan bread pakoda hot with tomato sauce or cilantro chutney or mint chutney or sweet tamarind chutney.
Video
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Dassanaji..u have bcum my godmother of cooking..thnx is such a small word for wat u teach..tried these bread pakoras for my in laws and dey luvvvvd it..it was lip smacking..thnk u sooo mch..i really admire ur cooking!..
Welcome Prabha. Thanks for your kind words and for this awesome feedback on bread pakoras. Glad to know that everyone liked it.
Hi Dassana,
I have tried many of your recipes and a big fan of yours. I like the simplicity and precision of your recipe posts. If we follow your instructions, there is very less room left for making mistakes. I tried this bread pakoda for my teenage girl yesterday and the response was “wow! aapne banaya?!” 🙂 Thanks a ton and keep posting mouth watering recipes.
thanks much rajani for this feedback. glad to know your teenage daughter liked the bread pakoda. happy cooking.
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Hi,
Can you pls post the recipe of dry onion garlic chutney as shown in the last pic? Thanks!
i will try to add.