Kale Pakora (Bhaji)
Crispy, savoury and packed with vegetables, these kale pakoras are an easy twist on classic Pakistani/Indian pakoras. Thinly sliced kale is combined with julienne potatoes and onions, gram flour, green chilies and simple spices. The vegetables release just enough moisture to bind the mixture, so you don't need to add much water.
They make a delicious Ramadan iftar snack, chai-time treat, rainy-day snack or side dish. Serve them hot with mint chutney, tamarind chutney or a cup of chai.
Air-Fryer Kale Pakoras
For a lighter version, you can air-fry them.
- Preheat your air fryer to 375°F (190°C).
- Lightly spray or brush the basket with oil.
- Form small, slightly flattened pakoras.
- Place them in a single layer.
- Lightly spray the tops with oil.
- Air fry for about 12–16 minutes, turning halfway through.
- Cook until golden and crisp.
The air-fryer version won't have quite the same deep-fried crunch, but it's a great everyday alternative.
Oven-Baked Version
Preheat the oven to 425°F (220°C).
Place small portions of the pakora mixture on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Flatten them slightly and brush or spray lightly with oil.
Bake for approximately 20–25 minutes, flipping halfway through.
For extra crispiness, place them under the broiler for the final 1–2 minutes, watching carefully.
Tips for Crispy Pakoras
Don't make the batter watery. This is probably the most important tip. Too much water makes pakoras heavy and oily.
Keep the potatoes thin. Thick potato pieces may remain undercooked while the outside becomes brown.
Don't overcrowd the pan. Too many pakoras at once will lower the oil temperature.
Fry over medium heat. Very high heat can brown the outside before the potatoes cook.
Use your hands to mix the batter. This helps you judge the consistency much better than using a spoon.
Fry a test pakora first. Taste it and adjust the salt and spices before frying the whole batch.
Healthier Ways to Make Kale Pakoras
1. Air-fry instead of deep-frying
This is the easiest way to significantly reduce the amount of oil used.
2. Add more kale
For a more vegetable-forward pakora, increase the kale to 4 cups and reduce the potato slightly.
3. Use less besan
Add just enough gram flour to bind the vegetables together rather than coating everything in a thick batter.
4. Add extra vegetables
You can add finely chopped:
- Spinach
- Grated carrot
- Cabbage
- Green onion
- Fresh cilantro
5. Keep them small
Smaller, flatter pakoras cook faster and develop more crispy surface area without needing a thick coating.
6. Bake them
Oven-baking is another good option when you want a lighter snack for everyday eating.
Make-Ahead & Storage
You can wash and chop the kale, onions and potatoes several hours ahead, but don't mix them with salt and besan until you're ready to cook. Otherwise, the vegetables will release too much water and the mixture can become soggy.
Leftover cooked pakoras
Store cooked pakoras in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
For best results, reheat them in:
- Air fryer: 350°F for 4–6 minutes
- Oven: 375°F for 8–10 minutes
Avoid microwaving if you want them crispy.
Freezing
For best results, freeze the cooked pakoras after cooling completely.
Place them in a single layer on a tray and freeze until firm. Transfer to a freezer-safe bag or container.
Reheat directly from frozen in an air fryer or oven until hot and crisp.
Recipe Variations
Kale & Onion Pakora: Skip the potato and use extra kale and onion.
Kale & Spinach Pakora: Replace half the kale with finely chopped spinach.
Aloo Pakora: Increase the potato and reduce the kale for a more traditional aloo pakora.
Spicy Pakora: Add crushed red chili flakes and an extra green chili.
Chaat-Style Pakora: Once fried, sprinkle with chaat masala and serve with yogurt, mint chutney and tamarind chutney.
My favourite way to serve them
I love these hot and crispy straight from the pan with mint-coriander chutney and a cup of chai. The slightly bitter, earthy kale works surprisingly well with the sweet onions, crispy potatoes and spicy besan coating.
Recipe note for your blog: Because kale, onions and potatoes vary in moisture, treat the water amount as a guide rather than a fixed measurement. Start with no water and add only what is needed—this will give you much crispier pakoras.
Recipe Details
Ingredients
For the pakoras
- 1 1/2 cups kale, finely chopped
- 1 medium potato, peeled and cut into very thin julienne strips
- 1 medium onion, thinly sliced
- 1 cup gram flour (besan)
- 1–2 green chilies, finely chopped
- 1 teaspoon red chili powder
- ½ teaspoon turmeric powder
- 1 teaspoon cumin seeds
- ½ teaspoon coriander coarsely grinded
- ½ teaspoon ajwain (carom seeds), optional
- ¾ teaspoon salt, or to taste
- 2 tablespoons fresh cilantro, chopped
- ¼ teaspoon baking soda, optional — for slightly lighter pakoras
- Water as needed
- Oil, for frying
For serving
- Mint-coriander chutney
- Tamarind chutney
- Lemon wedges
- Chaat masala, optional
Instructions
Prepare the vegetables
- Wash the kale thoroughly and pat it dry. Remove any tough stems and finely chop the leaves.
- Cut the potato into very thin julienne strips. Keeping them thin is important because the potatoes need to cook at the same time as the pakora batter.
- Thinly slice the onion.
Mix the vegetables and spices
- Add the chopped kale, potato and onion to a large mixing bowl.
- Add chopped green chilies, red chili powder, cumin seeds, coriander, ajwain, salt, fresh cilantro
- Mix everything well with your hands.
- Let the mixture sit for about 5–10 minutes.
- The salt will draw moisture from the onions and kale. This moisture helps create the pakora batter without needing much water.
- Add the gram flour
- Add the gram flour gradually and mix thoroughly.
- The mixture should look thick and sticky, with the vegetables coated in a thin layer of besan.
- You don't want a runny batter.
- If the mixture feels too dry to hold together, add 1 tablespoon of water at a time until you can easily form small loose portions with your fingertip. Tip... Don't add all the water at once. The onions and kale will continue releasing moisture as the mixture sits.
- If using baking soda, mix in ¼ teaspoon just before frying.
- Heat the oil
- Heat about 1½–2 inches of oil in a deep frying pan over medium heat.
- To test the oil, drop a tiny bit of batter into it. It should rise slowly and begin bubbling immediately.
- If it browns instantly, the oil is too hot.
- Fry the pakoras
- Take a small handful of the mixture and gently drop it into the hot oil. (You can use spoon for this)
- Don't make the pakoras too thick. Slightly loose, irregular pieces give you more crispy edges.
- Fry in batches, making sure not to overcrowd the pan.
- Cook for about 3–4 minutes per side, turning occasionally, until golden brown and crisp.
- Remove with a slotted spoon and place on a wire rack or paper towel-lined plate.
- Repeat with the remaining mixture
Serve the kale pakoras hot with
- Mint-coriander chutney
- Tamarind chutney
- A sprinkle of chaat masala
- Lemon wedges
- Hot chai ☕
