Nowadays, regardless of the season or time of day, many people enjoy eating pakoras. However, constantly consuming traditional varieties, such as chickpea and onion pakoras with potatoes, can lead to feelings of fullness. If you want to try something new, light, and very crispy, you can make Japanese pakoras at home.
In Japan, a dish similar to Indian pakoras, called tempura, is made using fresh seafood and various vegetables, including sweet potato, Japanese zucchini (kobucha), eggplant, shiitake mushrooms, lotus root, and shiso leaves. These ingredients are coated in a light batter and then deep-fried until crispy.
In a classic recipe, universal flour, wheat flour, egg, and sometimes cornstarch and ice water are used instead of chickpea flour to prevent a heavy or greasy outer coating. However, this recipe will have a local twist, and we will teach you how to make Japanese pakoras consisting only of vegetables and rice flour. These pakoras absorb little oil, retaining the natural crispiness and flavor of the vegetables.
Below are the necessary ingredients and the simplest way to prepare them.
You will need:
- Bell pepper (cut lengthwise) - 1/2 cup
- Carrot (thinly and longly sliced) - 1/2 cup
- Onion (sliced into rings) - 1/2 cup
- Bok choy (longly sliced) - 1/2 cup
- Rice flour - 1/2 cup
- Cornstarch - 2 tablespoons (optional)
- Ice water - 3/4 cup
- Baking powder - 1/4 teaspoon
- White sesame seeds - 1 teaspoon
- Ground black pepper - 1/2 teaspoon
- Salt - to taste
- Oil for frying
First, thoroughly wash and dry all the vegetables (carrots, bell peppers, onions, bok choy), and then slice them into very thin and long strips. Place the sliced vegetables in one bowl and mix with one tablespoon of dry rice flour to remove excess moisture.
In another bowl, mix the cornstarch, baking powder, black pepper, sesame seeds, and salt to taste. Gradually add the ice water to this mixture and stir gently. It is important not to whisk the batter too vigorously; the consistency of the batter should remain slightly lumpy or thick.
Next, add the sliced vegetables to the prepared cold batter and gently mix so that the vegetables are evenly coated with a thin layer of batter. Heat the oil in a deep pan until very hot. Carefully place small strands or bunches of vegetables into the hot oil. Fry over medium or high heat, turning, until golden and very crispy.
The finished crispy Japanese pakoras are removed and placed on paper towels. They are served with Sriracha sauce or your favorite sauce and strong tea.