Instructions

• Wash and slice the onions in slightly thin long slices, transfer the sliced onions to a large bowl, mix with enough salt and keep aside (if you are using chopped garlic instead of garlic powder, mix it also with the onions and salt).
• Slice the green chilies in small round slices and also chop the curry leaves (if you are using these) and mix in with the onions evenly. If you are preparing this for kids, you may skip chilies.
• In a different bowl, mix together the dry ingredients - chickpea flour, rice flour, enough salt, turmeric powder, red chili powder and garlic powder.
• Transfer the dry mixture to the onions in the bowl, mix well using your hands so the onions are well coated with the dry flour mixture.
• Add the water also to the bowl and mix everything very well. If you are preparing this onion pakoda for the first time, you may feel the batter needs more water, but this much water is perfectly enough to make the pakodas and if you add more water it may not come out right. Just mix everything together until well combined. Let the mixture rest for about 5 to 10 minutes.
• Meanwhile heat the oil in an iron skillet or frying pan.
• When the oil is hot, keep the heat in medium and gently add tablespoon full of batter to the hot oil. I prefer to make small sized pakodas as they are easy to deep fry, so I recommend using a tablespoon of batter. Just make sure not to overcrowd the skillet or pan, as we need enough space to flip the pakodas. I usually fry about 3 to 4 pakodas together in a medium sized skillet.
• Once the bottom side of the pakodas start turning brown, which happens in about 1 to 2 minutes of time, gently flip the pakodas using a spatula and spoon and fry the other side too. The pakodas turn brown so fast so make sure to adjust the heat between medium and low as needed and keep watching so as to not burn the pakodas. You can flip the pakodas again if needed so as to fry all sides until golden brown which is when the pakodas will become perfect!
• Similarly fry all the onion pakodas in multiple batches until all the batter is finished.