Pumpkin and Red Onion Pakoras

Pumpkin and Red Onion Pakora Anyone living almost anywhere in US, is probably surrounded by all things pumpkin, it is after all Fall. And when life gives me lots of pumpkins, I go savory and make pumpkin and red onion pakoras.

My Pumpkin Pakora Story

Now, all this pumpkin sugar and spice business is not really my cup of tea. I love fall. However, I draw the line on pumpkin spice lattes. I know, I know, this is shocking from someone one who is sipping cardamom coffee as she writes this.

I love the nip in the air, love the beautiful colors. And in turn love the orange beauty of the pumpkin. On this rainy, cold day, I decided to create pumpkin and red onion pakoras or fritters. This starts a mission. It is mission savory pumpkin.

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Pumpkin

Spiced Pumpkin not Pumpkin Spice

If you check out this site, you will see that I am not the only one, this talented comic whose witty work, I absolutely love agrees. Me, I am easy, I am cool with the pumpkin spice. That is as long as we stick to all things fresh and flavorful. Today on this rainy wet day maybe we can do some spiced pumpkin. In the form of these crisp and delicate fritters or pakoras.

Shredded VegetablesThe inspiration for these fritters in my grandmother’s kitchen, and I realize that is the case with almost all my recipes but, my grandmother made this thin rectangular pakoras with pumpkin mostly because I did not really like eating pumpkin in any form, much like these eggplant fritters or beguni. I do not know how common this is, I have typically seen the eggplant fritters and the pumpkin blossom fritters. I have a recipe for the blossom fritters in the Bengali Five Spice Chronicles, today it is time for the fruit.

Pumpkin Fritter PakorasNow, my grandmother sliced and diced vegetables using her stand knife called a bonti, and did this with more precision and finesse than one would a mandolin, here I have sliced the onion and used a standard grater to cope with the rest, and the results were just fine. We enjoyed this with ginger tea. Well, tea is a religion in this house, at least for me.

Pumpkin PakorasOn an interesting note, I added some fresh ginger that added a very interesting dimension to these pakoras, almost complementing the jalapenos and the pumpkins. So, as you enjoy these crispy treats, which I hope you will please take a minute to think of the possibilities of the savory side of the pumpkin, or as aptly put, maybe spiced pumpkin not just pumpkin spice.

And for more pakora recipes, consider these radish and scallion pakoras and these kale and red onion fritters.

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Pumpkin and Red Onion Pakoras

Prep Time: 15 minutes

Cook Time: 20 minutes

Total Time: 35 minutes

A seasonal pakora or Indian fritter using grated pumpkin and a few wildcard spices, try this pumpkin pakoras next time you venture on a pumpkin picking adventure.

Ingredients

  • 1 red onion, halved and very thinly sliced
  • 1 cup of peeled grated pumpkin (note, you can use delicata squash (skin on) or grated carrots if you wish)
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1 jalapeno or cayenne pepper, minced
  • 1 teaspoon cumin seeds
  • 1 teaspoon nigella seeds (opional but recommended)
  • 1 teaspoon freshly grated ginger
  • 1/2 teaspoon turmeric
  • 1 teaspoon salt or to taste
  • 3/4 cup of chickpea flour besan, wished to ensure no lumps
  • 1 tablespoon rice flour (opional, but adds crunch)
  • 2 tablespoons chopped rosemary or cilantro
  • 2 cups of canola oil for frying
  • Optional black salt or chaat masala to dust

Instructions

  1. In a large mixing bowl add in the onion, pumpkin, salt, jalapeno and mix well.
  2. Stir in the cumin seeds, nigella seeds, ginger, turmeric and salt.
  3. Mix in the chickpea flour and rice flour with about 1/3 cup water. The objective is to have the batter just lightly and loosely coat the vegetables, essentially think of wispy potato pancakes.
  4. Stir in the cilantro or rosemary (note, I tried both and they both add different dimensions of flavor).
  5. In a heavy bottomed wok or cast iron skillet heat the oil, this should be done on medium heat and will take about 7 to 8 minutes. Test with a tiny bit of batter.
  6. Drop about 1 tablespoon sized drops of the batter, and let them cook until crisp and golden brown. This should be done on a medium even temperature.
  7. Turn once, remove and drain on paper towels.
  8. Serve hot with your choice of condiment.
https://spicechronicles.com/pumpkin-and-red-onion-pakoras/

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