Baked Kale Pakora. Pakoras or Pakoda are fried Crispy Indian fritters which are served for snacking. Use other greens such as spinach for Spinach Pakora or chard for variation. Gluten-free, soy-free, nut-free, and Vegan.

Recipe Snapshot

  • Prep time: 15 minutes
  • Cook time: 25 minutes
  • Total time: 40 minutes
  • Yield: 4
  • Category: Appetizer, Snack
  • Cuisine: Indian

Ingredients

  • 1 cup chickpea flour ((garbanzo bean flour. If using besan, add 2 to 4 tbsp more for thicker batter consistency))
  • 3 tbsp rice flour ((or use fine semolina. Semolina is not gluten-free))
  • 1/2 tsp salt
  • 1/2 tsp cumin seeds (, or other spices of choice such as carom seeds, mustard seeds, sesame seeds)
  • 1/2 tsp turmeric
  • 1/3 tsp cayenne
  • 1 tsp oil (optional))
  • 1/2 cup water
  • 1/4 tsp baking powder
  • 1 red or green chili (, finely chopped)
  • 1 tsp minced ginger
  • 6 curry leaves, finely chopped (optional)
  • 1 bunch of curly kale (5 to 6 medium stems, 3+ cups packed after chopping)

Method

  1. Remove stems from the kale by pulling between your fingers, or by using a knife. Chop into small pieces. Preheat the oven to 425 deg F (218 C). Line a baking sheet or dish with parchment.
  2. Make the batter: Add all the dry ingredients into a bowl and mix. Add oil if using and water and whisk to make a thick smooth batter. If the batter is too thin/watery, add more chickpea flour a few tsp at a time and whisk in. If too thick, add water (1-2 tbsp). You want the batter to be thick and close to pasty so that it sticks well to the leaves.
  3. Add the kale to the batter, and mix and rub the batter on/between the leaves
  4. Spread on parchment lined sheet, and bake at 425 degrees for a total of 18-28 minutes. Bake time depends on the size of the kale, and how crisp you'd like it to be. Reduce temp to 375 degrees F (190 C) after 22 minutes. Move the dish around for even baking.
  5. Sprinkle some chaat masala or cayenne(red chili powder) Serve with green chutney, or tamarind chutney! Store: on the counter for the day.

Kiyaan Singh’s Kitchen Note

Keep this recipe as a working base: cook once as written, then adjust spice, texture, and serving style for your own table.