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Anda pakora
Egg fritters
ਆਂਡਾ ਪਕੌੜਾ: halved boiled eggs in a spiced besan coat, the highway dhaba snack
Truck drivers on the Grand Trunk Road know the dhabas that keep a basket of boiled eggs next to the pakora kadai: halve, season, dip, fry, and on to a plate with onion rings and a smear of mint chutney. Anda pakora is a winter evening favourite in Punjab too, made at home when guests turn up and there is nothing else ready. The besan coat is crisp and peppery, the egg inside soft. The common mistake is dipping the wet, slippery halves straight into the batter, which slides off the yolk in the oil; dust them with dry besan first so the batter grips. Chef's tip: sprinkle chaat masala and black pepper on the cut side before dipping, so the seasoning sits right against the yolk.
- Total time
- 30 min
- Difficulty
- easy
- Serves
- 3
Ingredients
For the eggs
- 6 eggs
- ½ tsp black pepperfreshly ground
- 1 tsp chaat masala
- 2 tbsp besan (gram flour)for dusting
For the batter
- 3 ½ oz besan (gram flour)
- 1 tbsp rice flour
- ½ tsp ajwain (carom seeds)
- 1 tsp red chilli powder
- ¼ tsp ground turmeric
- ¼ tsp garam masala
- ½ tsp salt
- ½ cup waterroughly
For frying and serving
- 2 ½ cups sunflower oilfor deep-frying
- 1 red onion (optional)sliced into rings
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Method
0/6 doneStep 1: Lower 6 eggs into boiling water and cook for 10 minutes, then cool in cold water, peel and halve lengthways.
12 minStep 2: Sprinkle the cut sides with ½ tsp black pepper and 1 tsp chaat masala, then roll each half in 2 tbsp besan (gram flour) so it is dry all over.
2 minStep 3: Whisk 3 ½ oz besan (gram flour), 1 tbsp rice flour, ½ tsp ajwain (carom seeds), 1 tsp red chilli powder, ¼ tsp ground turmeric, ¼ tsp garam masala and ½ tsp salt with ½ cup water into a thick batter that clings to a spoon.
2 minStep 4: Pour 2 ½ cups sunflower oil into a heavy kadai or deep pan so it is no more than a third full and heat over medium-high to 350°F on a thermometer. No thermometer? Drop in a 2 cm cube of bread: it should sizzle at once and turn golden in about 60 seconds. Stay at the stove the whole time the oil is hot and keep children and pets away.
5 minStep 5: Dip each egg half in the batter, letting the excess drip off, and lower it into the oil cut side down. Fry 4 at a time for 3–4 minutes, turning once, until deep golden and the sizzle has softened to a light crackle.
8 minStep 6: Drain on kitchen paper, turn off the heat and serve hot with 1 red onion.
1 min
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 330 kcal
- Protein
- 17 g
- Carbs
- 18 g
- Fat
- 21 g
- Fibre
- 3 g
Nutrition values are estimates.
KrazyBadal
Good to know
- How long does anda pakora take?
- About 30 minutes in total: 12 minutes to prepare and 18 minutes to cook.
- How many people does it serve?
- 3 as written. Change the servings above the ingredients and every amount scales to match.
- Is it vegetarian?
- Yes. It has no meat or fish.
- What can I use instead of eggs?
- 1 tbsp ground flaxseed + 3 tbsp water per egg, left for 5 minutes (baking only; vegan).
- What can I use instead of red chilli powder?
- Cayenne, half the amount (hotter).
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