Corn Pakoras are crispy moreish South Asian snacks made with a spiced corn batter and deep fried. This Corn Pakora Recipe is one you need to try. You could call them Indian corn fritters. Pakoras are a popular street food and usually made with vegetables. Pakoras are generally made with gram flour (aka Chana No Lot or Besan or chick pea flour) making them a great Gluten Free snack.
Corn Pakoras are light and airy. Crispy on the outside and soft on the inside.
Caution: they are very addictive and you can’t stop eating them. We call them Makai Na Bhajia. The name Pakora, Pakoda, Bhaji, Bhajia and Bhajiya are sometimes used for the same dish.
These Indian Corn Fritters are great as an appetiser, side or as a snack with a cup of chai.
They are the most underrated type of Bhajia. Once you try this recipe you will know why – they are so tasty.
What are corn pakoras
Corn pakora are also know as Crispy corn bhajia, Sweetcorn bhajia, Makai Na Bhajia and Makai Na Bhajiya . They are fried balls made of a spicy batter made with fresh corn mixed with ground spices and spring onions. They are Gluten free and easy to make and taste the best when deep fried.
What is the difference between Bhajia and Bhajiya
Bhajia normally refers to a deep fried snack that coats vegetables in a spicy batter.
Bhajia and Bhajiya refer to the same thing The spelling is just different depending on the where you are from.
I am from Kenya and among the Indian diaspora we refer to them as Bhajia.
In North India, Rajasthan and other areas of India they spell it as Bhajiya.
What are the ingredients for corn pakoda
These gluten free pakoras are made with minced fresh sweetcorn, spring onions, whole ground coriander, whole ground cumin, fresh coriander, garlic, ginger, green chillies, gram flour, garam masala, dhana jiru, turmeric, salt and bicarbonate soda.
Start by taking the kernels off the fresh corn. Either course it grate it or blitz it a couple of seconds at a time. Ensure it doesn’t go like a paste. It needs to be bitty.
Add in all the other ingredients and mix. Using your hand is the key to get all the ingredients combined.
How to deep fry pakoras
Heat oil in a frying pan. The pan should be on low/medium heat. To check the oil is the correct temperature, place a little drop of the mixture in there. It should rise up straight away without turning brown. If it doesn’t rise up it means the oil is not hot enough. If it gets brown straight away the oil is too hot.
Cook the pakoras on low/medium heat. This gives the inside time to cook and outside to time to become golden brown and crispy without getting oily.
Place small amounts of the mixture into the pan. Half a teaspoon makes the best size. About a ten pence size.
You can use your fingers to drop the mixture into the pan or a teaspoon. I prefer the latter to ensure my fingers don’t burn whereas my mum likes the traditional method.
Drop the mixture as close to the oil as possible so it maintains its shape. Try not to overcrowd the pan.
Once you place the mixture in the oil, do not touch the Bhajia for a couple of minutes. This lets them form a coat. You will also notice the bubbles in the oil reduce slightly.
Now gently stir the pakoras. Keep going so every couple of minutes under they are golden brown. It takes about 10 minutes depending on the pan size, amount of pakoras inside etc. Here is the pan I used and some other suggestions (affiliate link)
Using a metal slotted spoon, lift the cooked bhajia above the oil but still in the karahi, drip off any excess oil in the pan then place them on a plate with kitchen towel.
Repeat until all the spicy batter is finished.
These corn pakoras are gluten free. The gram flour (besan ) adds a nutty aroma, the bicarbonate makes it crispy.
Can I use canned sweetcorn for Pakora
Yes you can use canned corn. It will give you a slightly sweeter pakora depending on the corn you use.
Can I make Corn Pakoda beforehand
You can fry the pakoras beforehand but it’s better to use the batter straight away. This stops the batter from getting watery as a result of the salt.
They pakoras can be reheated in the air fryer for a minute.
What to serve with Pakoras
These moreish spicy balls taste delicious with coriander chutney. My cilantro chutney recipe is a classic gujarati one and you can find it here. These bhajias pair so well with green chutney aka coriander chutney. Here is the recipe for it. A little dunk in this cilantro chutney will elevate the flavours of this dish even further.
Can I cook Makai Na Bhajia in the air fryer?
In short no. These are meant to be deep fried so they crisp on the outside and are soft on the inside. I did try them in the air fryer but it’s messy and you need more oil that you think.
If you want a flat fritter then yes you can lay it on an oiled lined air fryer basket.
Can I reheat pakoras
Yes these corn bhajia a can be reheated in the air fryer for 2-3 minutes. They also taste great at room temperature.
Corn Pakora Recipe – Indian Corn Fritters
Ingredients
- 500 grams minced corn
- 100 grams spring onion
- 10 grams coarsely ground whole coriander seeds
- 25 grams fresh coriander
- 120 grams gram flour besan / chick pea flour
- ¼ tsp bicarbonate
- ½ tsp Garam masala
- 1 ½ tsp Salt
- ½ tsp ground cumin
- 2 tsp Dhana Jiru
- ½ tsp Turmeric
- 2 tsps. ginger garlic paste
- 1 tsp crushed green chillies
- Oil for frying
Instructions
- Grate or blitz the fresh corn. You want a course texture and not a paste.
- Place the corn in a bowl and add in all the other ingredients. This is a one bowl spiced batter. Use your hand to give it all a good mix ensuring the edges are scraped too. Use the batter straight away to stop it from getting watery.
- Line a plate or deep bowl with some kitchen towel to place the cooked bhajias in.
- Heat oil in a kadai ( deep pan).
- Place small amounts of the mixture into the pan. Half a teaspoon makes the best size. About a ten pence size.
- Drop the mixture as close to the oil as possible so it maintains its shape. ** see above for frying tips. Try not to over crowd the pan, and at the same time don’t just do a couple at a time.
- Don’t touch the bhajias for a couple of minutes then using a large spoon gently stir them. Turn the bhajias every 2-3 minutes so the cook evenly. It takes around 12 minutes to cook.
- Using a metal slotted spoon, lift the cooked bhajia above the oil but still in the karahi, drip off any excess oil in the pan then place them on a plate with kitchen towel.
- Repeat until all the spicy batter is finished.
- Following these steps ensures they are not oily and are crunchy on the outside and soft on the inside.
Love corn on the cob? You have to try this Indian Corn Curry. It is a popular East African dish and enjoyed by several Indian households.
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