Air Fryer Recipe
Crispy Aubergine Pakoras
Aubergine pakoras are a delightful treat, with their crispy edges and soft, creamy centres. The air fryer is perfect for this dish, as it crisps the batter quickly without the need for deep frying, allowing the spices to bloom beautifully.
Ingredients
- 1 medium aubergine, about 300–350g, trimmed and cut into 5mm rounds or half-moons
- 1 tsp fine sea salt, divided
- 110g gram flour
- 20g rice flour
- 1 tsp ground coriander
- 1 tsp ground cumin
- ½ tsp turmeric
- ½ tsp Kashmiri chilli powder or mild chilli powder
- ½ tsp ajwain/carom seeds, lightly crushed
- ¼ tsp baking powder
- 1 small garlic clove, finely grated
- 1 tsp finely grated fresh ginger
- 1 tbsp lemon juice
- 2 tbsp neutral oil, such as rapeseed or sunflower, plus extra oil spray or 1–2 tsp oil for brushing
- 85–100ml cold water
- 2 tbsp chopped fresh coriander, optional
- Mango chutney, tamarind chutney or mint yoghurt, to serve
Method
- Put the aubergine slices in a shallow dish and sprinkle with ½ tsp of the salt. Leave for 12–15 minutes, then pat very dry with kitchen paper.
- Preheat the air fryer to 200°C for 4 minutes with the crisper plate in place.
- In a bowl, mix the gram flour, rice flour, remaining ½ tsp salt, ground coriander, cumin, turmeric, chilli powder, ajwain and baking powder. Break up any lumps with your fingers or a whisk.
- Add the garlic, ginger, lemon juice, 2 tbsp oil and 85ml cold water. Stir to make a thick batter, then add the remaining water only if needed.
- Rest the batter for 5 minutes while the air fryer finishes heating, then stir in the chopped coriander if using.
- Fold the dried aubergine slices through the batter until each piece is coated on both sides.
- Place a perforated parchment liner or silicone mesh liner in the hot basket. Lightly spray or brush it with oil, then arrange the coated aubergine in a single layer with small gaps between pieces.
- Air fry at 190°C for 6 minutes. The pakoras should look set and matte on top, with the edges beginning to darken.
- Open the basket, gently loosen each pakora with tongs, remove the parchment if it is easy to slide out, and turn the pakoras over. Spray or brush the dry-looking patches with a little oil.
- Cook for a further 6–8 minutes at 190°C, turning once more if your air fryer browns unevenly.
- Repeat with the remaining aubergine. If the first batch has softened while waiting, return all the pakoras to the air fryer at 200°C for 1–2 minutes just before serving.
Nutrition
Calories: 250
