Pakoras are a North Indian appetizer, made out of vegetables that are battered in chickpea flour and water and then deep fried. I wanted to make a variation of this recipe that was not deep fried out of a few ingredients I had leftover from my farmshare: Japanese eggplant, eggs, parsley and Romaine lettuce.
I ended up making the batter out of an egg, some Greek yogurt, chili powder, cumin, salt, and parsley. I coated the eggplant first with some chickpea flour, before dipping it in the batter and Panko. Panko are Japanese breadcrumbs which give you the most crunch, but you can use any bread crumbs that you have. Then I shallow fried the pakoras until crisp and browned. The recipe worked and I made it for my dear friend Julie who was leaving town:(
I served them over some greens, coated with a little oil and sherry vinegar. I feel like this would be a great way to cook the eggplant for eggplant parmesan – kind of like an Indian version of it. Stay tuned for that recipe once I make it. 
Breaded Eggplant Pakora Over Greens
- Total Time: 45 minutes
- Yield: 4 servings 1x
Description
These breaded eggplant pakoras are a healthier take on a classic Indian appetizer, featuring crunchy Panko-coated eggplant served over fresh greens.
Ingredients
- 2 tbsp (30 ml) oil
- 1 Japanese eggplant, sliced 1/4 inch thick
- 1 egg
- 2 heaping tbsp Greek yogurt
- 1/4 tsp chili powder
- 1/3 tsp cumin powder
- Salt, to taste
- 2 tbsp chickpea flour
- 1/2 cup (120 ml) Panko breadcrumbs
- 1 tbsp chopped fresh parsley
- Romaine lettuce leaves
- 1 tbsp (15 ml) olive oil
- 1 tbsp (15 ml) sherry vinegar
Instructions
- Slice eggplant into 1/4 inch discs.
- Place on a plate and sprinkle with salt.
- Let the eggplant sit for a half hour. The eggplant will have given off some water.
- Wipe the water and salt off of the eggplant when it’s time.
- In a bowl, beat the egg.
- Mix in the Greek yogurt, chili powder, cumin powder, parsley and salt.
- Line a plate with the bread crumbs.
- Line another plate with the chickpea flour.
- Put the eggplants in the plate with the chickpea flour and coat them all with the flour.
- In a non-stick fry pan, heat oil under medium heat.
- While the oil is heating, take each eggplant piece one at a time and dip them in the batter, then the bread crumbs and then place them in the hot oil. Try to do this as quick as possible so they all cook for the same amount of time.
- Turn the heat to between medium and medium-low.
- Cook the eggplant until browned on one side and then flip them over (4-5 minutes) to cook on the other side (3-4 minutes). If they start cooking too fast on the outside, just turn the heat down and cover them with a lid.
- When cooked, place the eggplant in a bowl lined with a paper towel.
- Assemble greens in a bowl or plate and lightly toss with olive oil, sherry vinegar, salt, pepper (Depending you may have some dressing left).
- Place eggplant fritters on top and serve.
- If you have any dressing left, you can drizzle a little on top.
Notes
- For extra crunch, use Panko breadcrumbs, but regular breadcrumbs will also work.
- You can substitute Greek yogurt with regular yogurt if needed.
- Adjust the chili powder to your spice preference.
- These pakoras can be served as a main dish or a side.
- Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 2 days and reheat in the oven for best results.
- Prep Time: 30 minutes
- Cook Time: 15 minutes
- Category: Appetizer
- Cuisine: Indian
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 180
- Sugar: 3
- Sodium: 300
- Fat: 9
- Carbohydrates: 20
- Fiber: 3
- Protein: 6
- Cholesterol: 55
If You Liked This Recipe, You’ll Love These
- Rajasthani Watermelon Curry
- Safed Aloo: Rajasthani White Potato Curry
- Eggplant and Cauliflower Curry with Tofu
- Weeknight Chana Masala
Frequently Asked Questions
Why do the eggplant slices need to sit with salt for 30 minutes before cooking?
Salting the 1/4-inch eggplant discs and letting them rest for half an hour draws out excess water. The instructions say to wipe off this released moisture before proceeding — skipping this step can make the pakoras steam rather than crisp in the pan.
Why does this recipe coat the eggplant in chickpea flour before dipping in the batter?
The first coat of 2 tbsp of chickpea flour gives the batter (egg, Greek yogurt, chili powder, cumin, and parsley) something to grip, and then the Panko breadcrumb outer layer adheres more evenly. The article notes that Panko gives the most crunch, though any breadcrumbs work.
How is this different from a traditional pakora?
Traditional North Indian pakoras use a chickpea-flour-and-water batter and are deep fried. This recipe uses a yogurt-and-egg batter, a Panko outer coat, and shallow frying in 2 tbsp of oil — making it less greasy while still crisp.
