So if you are looking for an easy appetizer for sudden company, then you should try this easy recipe of mine. It’s fun to cook and so delicious to have. I love to make these cauliflower fritters at home. It tastes amazing even though I am air frying it instead of the traditional deep frying method. You can prepare this in advance if you are expecting company and reheat it in the air fryer at the time of serving just to make it extra crunchy or crispy.
What are Cauliflower Fritters/ Gobi Pakora?
Fritters or Pakoras are popular Indian appetizers or snacks. Here, veggies are dipped in a spicy mixture of gram flour batter and deep-fried till it looks golden or crispy. Sometimes, additional ingredients like rice flour, bread crumbs or corn flour are used to make it super crispy. Cauliflower pakora is quite popular however I love to make Air Fryer Onion Pakoda as well.
Why Air Fry Them?
It takes a lot of oil to deep fry the pakora. Nowadays, people are more conscious of their health so they are skipping oil or using less of it. Air fryer pakora is perfect for those people. You can perfectly enjoy a perfect crispy appetizer snack without much oil. Ideally, it should be eaten hot, however, if you reheat it in the air fryer it will be crispy again. You need to keep an eye on the air fryer and will have to shake things once it is in the basket.
What Ingredients Are Needed?
Cauliflower florets- I have used fresh cauliflower florets for this recipe. However, you can always use frozen ones. Make sure they are not icy. You can cut them according to your choice. Small or medium size florets are most suitable for fritters. Chickpea Flour/Gram flour/Besan- These are different names of the same ingredients. You can buy them from any Indian grocery store or any big supermarket chain. Rice Flour- They provide an extra crisp outer layer to the pakora or fritters. Salt, red chilli powder, and turmeric powder are the staples in any type of pakora. Oil for spray and parchment paper.
How to Make This-
Take a small cauliflower and break it into several florets. In a big pan, boil enough water with salt. Dip the cauliflower florets for 7-8 minutes. This process helps in removing all the insects and keeping the pakora soft from the inside. In a big bowl or vessel, take all the ingredients required for making the batter. Whisk it to make a smooth, lump-free, pancake-like batter. It shouldn’t be too thick or thin. Dip cauliflower florets into the batter and make sure they are coated well. Remove the excess batter by shaking it off. Preheat the air fryer to 360 f and spray with some oil. Place all the florets well in one layer. Air fry them for around 11-12 minutes or till they look crispy and golden. Shake the basket in between the process and if needed, spray or brush the cauliflower. Remove them once they look perfectly crispy and crunchy. Serve them with a dip of your choice. Enjoy!!!
