When it comes to pakodas and bhajiyas, every Indian does go weak in their knee! So what, if most of these are deep-fried. We are ready to run a mile further or exercise a bit more, but we won’t let go of these scrumptious, crispy, crunchy goodies. There’s absolutely no end to the world of pakoras. One such super tasty variation is this Cheese Pakora. What’s to look out in this recipe? The contrasting textures created by the crisp outer besan coating and the gooey, molten cheesy inside! You really can’t miss this one.
More on Cheese Pakora
Both Cheese Pakora and Paneer Pakora are served as snacks as well as starters in most restaurants. There are different ways you can make the Cheese Pakora. When I am making these, I like to use spices which accentuate the taste of cheese in the pakoda.
Various cheese varieties like processed cheese, mozzarella cheese or others can be used for this recipe. The batter has to be thick or else the cheese can melt and splutter in the oil while frying. My recipe’s batter also is subtly spiced with pepper, coriander, turmeric and chili powder. For an umami touch, I add sesame too in it.
Table of Contents
This Cheese Pakora can be made as a quick snack for kids or for small house parties and get-togethers. This pakoda recipe can also be easily halved, doubled or tripled as well.
The perfect way to relish the Cheese Pakora is to serve it hot with a mint chutney, coriander chutney or tomato ketchup. Even sriracha sauce, sweet chili sauce, red chili garlic chutney or Schezwan sauce accompany these cheese fritters well.
Remember to serve them hot for best taste. If you serve these cheesy pakoras warm or at room temperature, the melted cheese will become thick and solidified. Then, you won’t get the actual mouth-feel.
How to make Cheese Pakora
Crushing spices
1. Firstly, in a mortar, take ¼ teaspoon black peppercorns and ¼ teaspoon coriander seeds. You can add more black pepper, if you want.
2. Crush coarsely with the pestle. Keep aside.
Making batter
3. In a mixing bowl, take ½ cup gram flour (besan).
4. Then, add the coarsely crushed spices.
5. Next, add 1 pinch asafoetida, 1 pinch baking soda (optional), ⅛ teaspoon turmeric powder (or 2 to 3 pinches), ¼ teaspoon red chili powder and ½ teaspoon sesame seeds (black or white sesame seeds).
6. Add salt as per taste. Add less salt, as cheese already has salt in it.
7. Add 4 to 5 tablespoons water or as required.
8. Mix to a thick, smooth batter without any lumps. If the batter has a medium consistency, then add 1 to 2 tablespoons more besan and mix again.
Cutting cheese
9. Take 5 Amul cheese cubes or 125 grams processed or mozzarella cheese. Note that the cheese cubes have to be removed directly from the refrigerator and then sliced. Do not use cheese cubes which are at room temperature.
10. Cut each cheese cube in 2 equal parts.
Making Cheese Pakora
11. Heat oil for deep frying or shallow frying in a kadai or pan.
12. When the oil becomes hot, add 4 to 5 drops of the hot oil in the prepared batter.
13. Mix very well. This helps in making the pakodas crisp and also absorb less oil while frying.
14. Now, add a tiny portion of the batter in the oil to check the temperature. It should come up steadily and gradually on top. This means the oil is hot enough for frying.
15. Place the cheese piece in the batter.
16. Coat it evenly with the batter.
17. Now, gently slide or place each batter-coated cheese piece in the hot oil. Fry these on medium to medium-high heat.
18. When one side is crisp and golden, turn over and fry the second side.
19. Turn over again and continue to fry.
20. You can turn over a couple of times and fry till the pakodas are crisp and golden. However, do not fry pakodas too much. Just fry till they turn golden.
21. Remove fried pakodas with a slotted spoon.
22. Place them on kitchen paper towels to remove excess oil.
23. Serve Cheese Pakoda hot with any chutney, dip or sauce of your choice like pudina chutney, mint coriander chutney, green chutney, red chili garlic chutney or Schezwan sauce.
Note that Cheese Pakoda has to be served hot. If they are served warm or at room temperature, the melted cheese becomes thick and solidified.
Pakoda and India
You know I really wouldn’t mind if someone actually gives me a platter full of a variety of crisp-fried fritters, also known as bhajiyas and pakodas in our very own Indian pop food culture. Come to think of it, we Indians really do obsess about these lip-smacking fried wonders, most of the times.
As I mentioned in the beginning, there is no end to what an Indian style fritter (pakoda) would be made of. Be it the most common vegetables or even the unusual ones, fruits, cottage cheese (paneer) and other cheeses, meats, etc. – there’s a pakora with any or every ingredient. We even have chocolate pakoras and fried ice creams!
So, how about a fried preparation with the usual processed cheese cubes that are available easily in almost all parts of the country? Yes, this post has just that – a Cheese Pakora, which combines the awesomeness of both cheese and a pakoda to satisfy your cravings at once.
This Cheese Pakora is a personal favorite too and everyone at my home also simply loves it. Of course, I avoid making it often because it is quite calorie laden for obvious reasons. But whenever we decide to binge or have a cheat day sort, we really go for some pakode made with cheese.
Along with this Cheese Pakoda, there are the ones like Aloo Pakora, Bread Pakora, Onion Pakoda and Gobi Pakora which may be usual, but also fall in the classic category and no Indian can ever have enough of these! For the ones in love with Indo-Chinese flavors, this Chinese Pakoda is a must try.
Expert Tips
- You can increase the quantity of black pepper to be added crushed to the batter, if you prefer.
- The baking soda is optional, you can skip it. For the sesame, you can either use black or white sesame seeds. Both works well in this recipe.
- The batter has to be a thick one, without any lumps. In case it is of medium consistency, then add about 1 to 2 tablespoons more of gram flour and mix again.
- Remember to add salt in less quantity as the cheese also has salt in it. You don’t want the pakodas to turn out extremely salty.
- You can either use processed cheese or mozzarella cheese. Make sure that the cheese cubes are removed directly from the refrigerator and then cut into pieces. Do not use cheese which is at room temperature.
- Mixing some hot oil in the batter will make the pakoras crisp and they will absorb less oil too, while getting fried.
- Ensure that you are serving Cheese Pakora hot. Because if warm or at room temperature, the cheese will solidify and not give you a molten, gooey effect on the inside.
More Snacks Recipes To Try!
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Cheese Pakora
Ingredients
to be coarsely crushed
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper or add as per taste
- ¼ teaspoon coriander seeds
for pakora batter
- ½ cup besan (gram flour)
- 1 pinch asafoetida (hing)
- 1 pinch baking soda
- ⅛ teaspoon turmeric powder (2 to 3 pinches)
- ¼ teaspoon red chilli powder
- ½ teaspoon sesame seeds – black or white
- salt as per taste
- 4 to 5 tablespoons water or add as required
other ingredients
- 125 grams processed cheese or 5 amul cheese cubes
- oil as required for deep frying or shallow frying
Instructions
preparation
- Firstly in a mortar-pestle take black pepper and coriander seeds.
- Crush coarsely. Keep aside.
making cheese pakora batter
- In a mixing bowl take ½ cup besan.
- Add the coarsely crushed black pepper and coriander seeds.
- Add asafoetida, baking soda, turmeric powder, red chilli powder, sesame seeds and salt as per taste.
- Add 4 to 5 tablespoons water or add as required.
- Mix to a smooth thick batter without any lumps.
making cheese pakora
- Take 5 amul cheese cubes or 125 grams processed cheese or mozzarella cheese. Do note that the cheese cubes have to be removed directly from the fridge and then sliced. Do not use cheese cubes which are at room temperature.
- Cut each cheese cube in two parts.
- Heat oil for deep frying or shallow frying in a kadai or pan.
- When the oil becomes hot, add 4 to 5 drops of the hot oil in the besan batter.
- Mix it very well. This helps in making the pakoras crisp and they also absorb less oil while frying.
- Now check a tiny portion of the batter in the oil. It should come up steadily and gradually on top. This means the oil is hot enough for frying pakoras.
- Place the cheese cube in the batter and coat it evenly with the batter.
- Now gently slid or place each batter-coated cheese cubes in the hot oil. Fry the pakoras on medium to medium-high flame.
- When one side is crisp and golden, then turn over and fry the second side.
- Turn over again and continue to fry.
- You can turn over a couple of times and fry till the cheese fritters are crisp and golden. However do note that do not fry these pakodas too much. Just fry them till they turn golden.
- Remove them with a slotted spoon.
- Place them on kitchen paper towels to remove excess oil.
- Serve cheese pakora hot with any chutney or dip or sauce of your choice. Do note that cheese pakoda has to be served hot. If they are served warm or at room temperature, the melted cheese becomes thick and solidified.
Nutrition Info (Approximate Values)
This Cheese Pakora recipe from the archives was first published in January 2017. It has been updated and republished in April 2024.
