Similar to Tempura (recipe follows), these are usually made only with vegetables—but a very wide assortment—and the batter is best when prepared with chickpea flour (also called besan or gram flour and available at Indian and many Asian markets and most health food stores). Traditionally, the batter also often contains anardana, a powder made from ground pomegranate seeds—if you can find some (try the same stores that have besan), add a teaspoon to the batter, along with the garam masala. Pakora batter can also be fried on its own, as a fritter; mix a medium onion, chopped, into it, and drop it by the tablespoon into the hot oil.

　　

Ingredients

makes 6 to 8 servings

　　Corn, grapeseed, or other neutral oil for deep-frying

　　2 cups chickpea flour

　　1 teaspoon baking powder

　　1 teaspoon salt

　　Pinch of cayenne

　　1 tablespoon garam masala or fairly mild curry powder (pages 593–594)

　　1 tablespoon clarified butter (page 241) or more oil

　　1 1/2 to 2 pounds assorted vegetables, cut into chunks, slices, or rings: potato, onion, eggplant, winter squash or sweet potato, bell pepper, cauliflower, even leaves of spinach or chard

　　

Step 1

Put at least 3 inches of oil in a large, deep saucepan; a larger pan with more oil will allow you to cook more at once. Turn the heat to high and keep it there until the temperature reaches 350°F (a pinch of flour will sizzle). Then adjust the heat as necessary to maintain this temperature. While the oil is heating, prepare the batter and the vegetables.

　　

Step 2

To make the batter, combine the flour, baking powder, salt, spices, and butter in a bowl. Add about 1/2 cup cold water and whisk, adding more water as necessary until the mixture is smooth and about the consistency of thick cream.

　　

Step 3

When the oil is ready, dip the vegetables in the batter, then slide them into the oil; do not crowd. Fry each piece until golden, turning once if necessary, less than 5 minutes total. Drain on paper towels and serve immediately.

　　The Best Recipes in the World by Mark Bittman. © 2005 by Mark Bittman. Published by Broadway Books. All Rights Reserved.MARK BITTMAN is the author of the blockbuster The Best Recipes in the World (Broadway, 2005) and the classic bestseller How to Cook Everything, which has sold more than one million copies. He is also the coauthor, with Jean-Georges Vongerichten, of Simple to Spectacular and Jean-Georges: Cooking at Home with a Four-Star Chef. Mr. Bittman is a prolific writer, makes frequent appearances on radio and television, and is the host of The Best Recipes in the World, a 13-part series on public television. He lives in New York and Connecticut.