Methi Pakoda | Methi Bhajiya | Methi Pakora

Methi pakoda recipe with step by step photos. These are crisp as well as soft textured fritters made with fenugreek leaves, gram flour (besan), herbs and spices. They make for a good tea time snack with a side of green chutney or tomato ketchup.

Pakora or pakoda is a popular Indian snack of fried fritters. Pakora are made with different veggies. There are also many regional variations in the recipes.

Gram flour or besan is the flour that always used in making pakoras. Sometimes for more crispness, rice flour can also be added. But the main flour is gram flour.

This methi bhajiya recipe is quick chai time snack that we like on occasions. For health reasons, I don’t make pakoras often. But once in a while we do indulge in pakoras and with the cricket world cup match going on, pakodas make for a quick munching snack.

This is a good and easy recipe to use any leftover bunch of fenugreek leaves. The recipe can be easily scaled to suit your requirements.

Serve methi pakoda as a starter or as a tea time snack with green chutney or tamarind chutney or tomato ketchup. You can also have them with roti or sandwich them between bread slices.

Two helpful tips for fenugreek leaves:

1. Firstly I get a big bunch of fenugreek leaves. Pluck the leaves and keep them stored in a box in the fridge. This way you save time while prepping a fenugreek based dish. Just remove them from the fridge. Rinse, chop and then add to the recipe. The fenugreek leaves stay good for 10 to 12 days in the fridge.

2. We do not get fenugreek leaves which are too bitter here. If you get bitter fenugreek leaves or are not particular fond of the bitter taste, then rub the chopped fenugreek leaves with a bit of salt in a bowl or strainer. Keep aside for 15 to 20 minutes. Squeeze the leaves lightly. Then add to the dish.

How to make methi bhajiya or methi pakoda

Make Pakoda Batter

1. In a mixing bowl, take the following ingredients:

• ¼ cup tightly packed fenugreek leaves (chopped)
• 1 small-sized finely chopped onion or about ¼ to ⅓ cup finely chopped onions
• 1 chopped green chilli or ½ to 1 teaspoon finely chopped
• ½ inch finely chopped ginger or ½ teaspoon finely chopped ginger
• 2 to 3 pinches of red chilli powder (or cayenne pepper or paprika)
• 2 to 3 pinches of turmeric (ground turmeric)
• 1 pinch of asafoetida (hing)
• 1 pinch of baking soda
• salt as required.

Note that you can alter the amount of spices according to your taste.

2. Then add ¾ cup of besan (gram flour).

3. Add ¼ cup of water or as required.

The amount of water requires depending upon the quality of gram flour. If the gram flour is coarse then you might need to add more water. If it is finely ground then you will need to add less water.

4. Begin to mix very well to make a pakora batter without any lumps. Keep the batter covered for 5 to 6 minutes.

5. The pakoda batter after 6 minutes. The batter is of medium consistency. If the batter becomes too thin, then add some gram flour. If the batter becomes too thick, add a few tablespoons of water.

Frying Methi Pakoda

6. Heat oil for shallow frying or deep frying in a kadai or pan. When the oil becomes moderately hot, add spoonfuls of the methi pakoda batter to the hot oil.

Depending upon the size of the kadai add the pakora batter taking care that you don’t overcrowd the kadai.

You can use any neutral flavored oil. Keep the heat medium to medium high.

7. Once the pakoras are cooked lightly, turn over carefully using a slotted spoon and cook the other side.

8. Fry till they become golden and crisp. You will have to turn them a few times for even cooking.

9. Remove the fried pakora with a slotted spoon. Drain as much oil as possible while removing the pakoras.

10. Drain them on kitchen paper towels to remove excess oil. This way fry the remaining batch of fritters.

11. Serve these methi pakoda hot or warm with Ketchup or Coriander Chutney or Sweet Tamarind Chutney or Pudina Chutney. While serving you can also sprinkle some Chaat Masala on top.

They also go well as a starter snack. You can also have them with Chapati or with White Bread slices. They also make for a good tea-time snack when paired with Masala Chai or Mint Tea.

If you are looking for more Pakoda recipes then do check:

• Palak pakora
• Paneer pakoda
• Onion pakoda
• Ulli vada
• Aloo ka pakoda

This Methi Pakoda post from the archives first published in Feb 2015 has been republished and updated on 25 June 2022.