How to make crisp, juicy chicken pakoda at home this weekend

For chicken lovers, chicken pakoda is a tasty snack that comes together quickly. It goes even better with mint chutney and Schezwan chutney. It is crunchy on the outside, while the chicken inside stays soft and juicy.

Those who feel like cooking chicken at home over the weekend can try this recipe. It suits evening tea, a small weekend snack or unexpected guests. Its crunchy, spicy taste appeals to everyone from children to adults.

First, the ingredients. You will need 250 grams of boneless chicken, 1 cup of gram flour (besan), 2 tablespoons of rice flour and 1 tablespoon of cornflour. You will also need 1 tablespoon of ginger-garlic paste, 1 teaspoon of red chilli powder, half a teaspoon of turmeric, 1 teaspoon of garam masala, half a teaspoon of cumin powder and half a teaspoon of coriander powder. Keep ready 1 to 2 finely chopped green chillies, 1 tablespoon of lemon juice, salt to taste, a little finely chopped coriander, water as required and oil for frying.

Start by washing the chicken. Wash the boneless chicken, drain off the excess water and cut it into small, medium-sized pieces. Do not keep the pieces too large, as they will not cook properly.

Put the chicken pieces in a bowl and add the ginger-garlic paste, red chilli powder, turmeric, garam masala, cumin powder, coriander powder, lemon juice and salt. Mix so that the spices coat the chicken well. Then let the chicken marinate for about 20 to 30 minutes.

Add the gram flour, rice flour and cornflour to the marinated chicken. Then mix in the chopped green chillies and coriander. Add a little water as needed and make a thick batter. Do not keep the batter too thin, or the pakodas may spread in the oil.

Heat enough oil for frying in a wok (kadhai) over medium heat. To check whether the oil is hot, drop a little batter into it. If it rises slowly, the oil is hot enough for frying.

Now put the batter-coated chicken pieces into the hot oil one by one. Do not add too many pakodas to the wok at once. Fry the pieces on medium heat until they turn golden and crisp on the outside.

Once the pakodas are fried properly, take them out with a slotted spoon. Place them on tissue paper or a wire rack so that the excess oil drains off. This keeps the pakodas from being too oily.

Serve the chicken pakodas hot, with green chutney and Schezwan sauce. To keep them crisp, serve them as soon as they are made.