Air Fryer: Onion Pakora, Indian Onion Rings
1 large onion, sliced into 1/4-inch-thick rings (yellow, white, or red)
¼ cup besan, chickpea flour
1 tablespoon rice or quinoa flour
¼ teaspoon turmeric powder
½ teaspoon ajwain, carom seeds
½ teaspoon garam masala
½ teaspoon coriander powder
½ teaspoon red chile powder or cayenne pepper
¾ teaspoon salt
5 tablespoons plus 1 teaspoon water
1. Line the basket of your air fryer with parchment paper. If it can be pre-heated, do so at 350 degrees Fahrenheit. It’s important to start the cooking process with parchment paper to avoid the batter sticking and making a mess in the basket.
2. Separate the rings of the sliced onion. It’s important to separate them because the more surface area, the crispier the finished product. Otherwise, they get soggy.
3. In a bowl, add the besan, the rice/quinoa flour, turmeric, carom, garam masala, coriander, red chile, and salt. Stir until combined. The rice or quinoa flours add crispiness. I love quinoa for the added protein.
4. Add the water and stir until it becomes a loose paste. It should be thick enough to stick to the onion, but it should not be clumpy.
5. Working in batches, use tongs to dip the onion rings into the batter until they are fully coated, shake off any excess batter, and place them on the parchment paper in the air fryer basket. My basket is small, so I cook about 10 rings at a time. Don’t worry if they touch. They will fuse together when they cook slightly but can be pulled apart after cooking.
6. Cook at 350 degrees Fahrenheit for 10 minutes. Once done, remove the parchment paper (I keep it for the next batch), flip the onion rings over, and cook directly in the basket for up to 2 minutes until beautifully browned. If you don’t cook them for the extra two minutes without the paper, the chickpea flour remains slightly soggy. This is the best way to get them as close as possible to fried perfection.
7. Remove the rings to a cutting board or tray and cut them apart with a chef’s knife or kitchen shears (which I prefer). Pile them up on a plate and serve immediately with a side of Tamarind Chutney, ketchup, and/or mint chutney. If serving later, store in an airtight container once cooled in the fridge and warm in the oven for later. Or cook them for 10 minutes, remove, cool, and store. Then, cook them for 2 minutes before serving.
Oven tips coming soon!
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