Rice pakora recipe with step by step photos. These are fried fritters or pakoras made from cooked rice or leftover cooked rice, gram flour, herbs and spices.
These rice pakoras have a crisp texture from out and are soft from within. They are so good, you won’t come to know that these pakoras are made from rice. I make these pakoras when I have some leftover rice. I find it a good way to use leftover rice and not throw them.
I don’t use a day old leftover rice as it is best to eat freshly cooked rice as a healthy eating practice. So if there is any rice left after lunch then I use this remaining cooked rice to make fritters on the same evening as a tea time snack.
I prepare many recipes with leftover rice like idli, appams, kheer, cutlets and these pakoras. Talking of pakoras from leftovers, we also make pakoras from leftover chapatis or rotis.
These rice pakoras are quick to prepare and make for a nice brunch or evening snack.
Best served with green chutney or tomato sauce or dry onion-garlic chutney or mint chutney or tamarind chutney. You can also have them with roti or with the bread.
How to make rice pakora
1. Take the rice in a small bowl or pan. Mash the rice with your hands or with a spoon. Mashing the rice gives a soft texture to the pakoras.
Its always better to use rice which are cooked really well. If the rice appears dry after removing from the fridge, then just sprinkle some water on it and microwave for a few minutes.
2. Then add following ingredients to the cooked rice:
- 5 tablespoons of besan (gram flour)
- 1 medium-sized finely chopped onion (or ½ cup finely chopped onion)
- 1 inch finely chopped or grated ginger
- 1 chopped green chili (or ½ teaspoon red chili powder)
- ¼ cup chopped coriander leaves
- ½ teaspoon ajwain (carom seeds) – optional
- ½ teaspoon cumin powder
- ½ teaspoon coriander powder
- ¼ teaspoon turmeric powder
- 1 pinch asafoetida (hing)
- salt as required
3. Mix well and keep aside for 8 to 10 minutes. The onions would release their juices and make the mixture a bit soft. Then you can add water as required.
4. Add water as required.
5. Stir and mix very well.
Frying rice pakoda
6. In a kadai or frying pan heat oil. You can use any neutral-flavored oil with a high smoking point. Keep the heat to medium or medium-high.
When the oil becomes medium hot, then take spoonfuls of the pakora batter and drop the batter mixture in the oil.
Depending upon the size of kadai you can add more or less pakora batter while frying. Don’t overstuff the kadai and keep some space between the fritters.
7. Let the pakora get cooked, browned lightly and then you turn them over and continue to fry.
You will have to flip them a few times for even cooking. Deep fry till the rice pakoras have become crisp and golden.
Once done then using a slotted spoon remove the pakoras draining the extra oil in the kadai.
Then place the fried fritters on kitchen paper towels so that they absorb any extra oil. This way fry the fritters in batches.
8. Serve rice pakora hot with green chutney or tomato sauce or mint chutney or coriander chutney. We also like to have them with ginger tea as shown in the photo below.
You can also have them with roti or bread slices. Best to have them hot as on cooling you won’t get the best
If you are looking for more Pakora recipes then do check:
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Rice Pakora
Ingredients
- 1 cup cooked rice (can be freshly cooked rice which has cooled down or leftover cooked rice)
- 1 medium onion, finely chopped, or ½ cup finely chopped onion
- 1 green chili chopped or ½ teaspoon red chilli powder
- 1 inch ginger – finely chopped or grated
- ¼ cup chopped coriander leaves
- ½ teaspoon ajwain (carom seeds) – optional
- ½ teaspoon cumin powder
- ½ teaspoon coriander powder (ground coriander)
- ¼ teaspoon turmeric powder (ground turmeric)
- 1 pinch asafoetida (hing)
- 5 tablespoon besan (gram flour or chickpea flour)
- 5 to 6 tablespoon water or as required
- salt as required
- oil for deep frying
Instructions
making rice pakora batter
- Take the rice in a small bowl or pan. Mash the rice with your hands or with a spoon. Mashing the rice gives a soft texture to the pakoras.
- Its always better to use rice which are cooked really well.
- If the rice appears dry after removing from fridge, then just sprinkle some water on it and microwave for a few minutes.
- Add all the rest of the ingredients to the rice – besan/gram flour, chopped onions & ginger, coriander leaves, green chilies and all the spice powders. Add salt.
- Mix well and keep aside for for 8 to 10 minutes. The onions would release their juices and make the mixture a bit soft. Then you can add water as required.
- After adding water, stir and mix very well.
frying rice pakora
- Heat oil for frying in a kadai or pan.
- When the oil becomes medium hot, then take spoonfuls of the pakora batter and drop it in oil. Keep the temperature to medium to medium-high heat.
- Let the rice pakora get cooked & browned lightly and then you turn them over and continue to fry. You will need to flip them a few times so that they are evenly cooked.
- Deep fry till the rice pakoda are crisp and golden. Then remove them using a slotted spoon draining extra oil in the kadai.
- Drain on kitchen paper towels so that any extra oil is absorbed.
- Serve rice pakora with green chutney or tomato sauce or tamarind chutney or mint chutney. They can also be served with roti or bread.
Notes
- If making for kids, then skip the green chilies or red chili powder.
- In case the pakora mixture becomes thin, then one or two tbsp of gram flour (besan).
- If the mixture appears thick, then add a few teaspoons of water.
- The recipe can be doubled or tripled.
Hello !
I just made these! So easy and so so yummm! Perfect for this rainy morning and family was delighted to have this ‘treat’ on a busy week day morning 🙂
Thank you for yet another simple but delicious recipe.
Much Love!
Thank you Shubhi. Yes these are yum and perfect for a monsoon snack. Most welcome.
I added fresh mint leaves finely chopped also added bits of slightly crushed pomegranate seeds