Navratri paneer pakora is a delectable vrat special snack with crispy outer covering and soft melt-in-mouth paneer inside. It is made with simple ingredients like kuttu (buckwheat) flour, paneer, green chillies, few spices and can be enjoyed with coriander or tamarind chutney.
In most Indian fritters recipe the batter is made with besan (gramflour) but as we don’t consume it during vrat, it can easily be substituted with kuttu aata (buckwheat flour). These kuttu paneer pakora are vegetarian, gluten-free and can be deep fried, pan fried or air fried.
Buckwheat is a type of pseudo cereal & is basically seed of plant Fagopyrum Tartaricum. It is naturally gluten free, rich source of carbs, fibre and minerals. Apart from fritters, it can also be used in other savory recipes like poori or paratha.
Paneer or Indian cottage cheese is made by curdling milk with acidic medium like lemon juice or vinegar. It is a rich source of protein, calcium and is often used in different gravy dishes, curries, sandwiches or snacks. For pakora, both store-bought or homemade fresh paneer can be used.
Before proceeding with the recipe, make sure to taste the paneer as it should not be sour or smelly. It is better to soak market-bought paneer in warm water for some time. If using frozen paneer, then thaw it first.
These kuttu paneer pakora make for a delectable evening snack with a hot cup of masala tea or filter coffee. The protein from paneer makes your feel full for longer keeping cravings at bay. You can serve it with fresh tangy cilantro chutney or imli chutney.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 10 minutes
Ingredients:
- Paneer / Indian Cottage Cheese – 200 g
- Kuttu Atta / Buckwheat flour – 3/4 cup
- Green chilli (finely chopped) – 1
- Lemon Juice – 2 tsp
- Jeera / Cumin seeds – 1/4 tsp
- Red Chilli powder – 1/4 tsp
- Crushed Black Pepper – 1/4 tsp
- Sendha Namak / Rock Salt – 1/2 tsp (to taste)
- Water – 3/4 cup (as required)
- Oil / Ghee – For frying
Directions:
Step 1:
Add kuttu flour to a mixing bowl along with salt, chilli powder (or black pepper) and green chillies. Start adding water gradually while mixing with a fork or whisker it to make a smooth lump-free batter (It should not be too thick nor too thin). Keep it aside.
Step 2:
Cut the paneer block into bite-size cubes. If you are using store-bought paneer, dip it in warm water for 10 min before chopping (Soaking helps in softening the paneer and removes any unwanted smell).
Step 3:
Sprinkle some salt, crushed black pepper and lemon juice on them and rub gently. You can even use 1-2 tsp green chutney to marinate the slices.
Step 4:
Heat oil in a kadhai for deep frying. Dip a paneer cube in kuttu-batter and lift with a fork to drip any extra batter. Carefully lower it in the hot oil. Repeat for other pieces too.
Step 5:
Fry on medium heat till the pakode turn crispy & golden brown from outside.
Step 6:
Once done, carefully remove paneer pakoda from kadhai using a slotted spoon. Tilt the spoon lightly to drip any excess oil.
Transfer on a kitchen napkin / tissue or wire rack.
Sprinkle some chaat masala (if you consume it during fasting) or sendha namak on paneer pakora. Enjoy these hot with fresh coriander-mint chutney.
Tips:
- To check whether oil is ready for frying, drop a pinch of kuttu batter in it. If it rises on top in few seconds the temp is ok and you can proceed with frying, else heat the oil more.
- Instead of paneer, you can use boiled chopped potatoes and make kuttu aloo pakoda in similar manner.
Hope you would like this simple yet delicious Navratri Paneer pakora recipe. More Navratri vrat recipes:
(3 votes, average: 5.00 out of 5)
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