Arugula Pakora | Crispy Garden Rocket Indian Fritters

Arugula pakora - fresh rocket leaves in a spiced gram flour batter and deep-fried into crispy fritters are best served with a hot cup of chai. A sip of the sweet milk chai and a bite of green chilli-spiced pakoras is heaven.

What Are Pakoras?

Pakoras are popular Indian fritter recipes, enjoyed during the monsoon or Iftar. Almost anything can be dipped in spiced gram flour batter and fried. The popular ones include onion, potatoes, bananas, etc. They're hot, crispy, and almost always paired with a cup of chai.

Arugula Pakora and Easy Substitute

Arugula leaves, also known as garden rocket, work beautifully in pakoras thanks to their slightly peppery flavour. If you can't find arugula, fresh spinach (palak) is an easy and reliable substitute that keeps the recipe accessible.

What Is Garden Rocket Called in Indian Languages?

I tried to find what arugula is called in regional Indian languages so folks back home can source and add it to their regular diet. Unfortunately, the only name I could confidently find was taramira (or tara mira) in Hindi.

If you know what garden rocket is called in your language, do leave a comment below - it would be genuinely helpful for other readers too.

💡Serving Suggestions

• These crispy arugula pakoras are best enjoyed hot, straight from the pan, with a cup of strong Indian chai.
• For a fuller spread, serve them as part of a South Indian-style snack platter, especially if you're hosting.
• These can also be served alongside kulfa paratha (purslane leaves flatbread) or kanda poha for a perfect brunch.
• If you enjoy mixing textures, add a crunch element like my butter murukku on the side.
• Experimental? Try my fig and balsamic jam, which works surprisingly well with the peppery greens - sweet, savoury, and very moreish.

More Snack Recipes

📖 Recipe Card

Arugula Pakora | Crispy Garden Rocket Indian Fritters

Fresh Arugula dipped in a spiced besan batter and deep-fried to crispy fritters that are best served with a hot cup of chai.

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Prep Time: 10 minutes minutes

Cook Time: 15 minutes minutes

Total Time: 25 minutes minutes

Servings: 3 people

Calories: 200.57kcal

By: Famidha Ashraf

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Ingredients

 

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• ▢ 1 bunch arugula leaves, washed, drained, pat dried and finely chopped
• ▢ 1 medium red onion, finely sliced
• ▢ 2 to 3 green chillies, finely chopped
• ▢ 2 garlic cloves, crushed and chopped finely
• ▢ Fresh coriander leaves, chopped
• ▢ 1 sprig curry leaves, chopped
• ▢ ¼ cup besan gram flour, besan
• ▢ ¼ cup rice flour
• ▢ ½ teaspoon red chilli powder
• ▢ 1 pinch turmeric powder
• ▢ salt to taste
• ▢ 1 pinch baking soda, optional
• ▢ 1 tablespoon hot oil
• ▢ water as required
• ▢ Oil to deep fry

Instructions

Prepare the batter

• Add all the ingredients except hot oil and water, mix well, and keep aside for about 10 minutes. The salt will help the onion and leaves release moisture.
  1 bunch arugula leaves washed, drained, pat dried and finely chopped

  1 medium red onion finely sliced

  2 to 3 green chillies finely chopped

  2 garlic cloves crushed and chopped finely

  Fresh coriander leaves chopped

  1 sprig curry leaves chopped

  ¼ cup besan gram flour besan

  ¼ cup rice flour

  ½ teaspoon red chilli powder

  1 pinch turmeric powder

  salt to taste

  1 tablespoon hot oil
• Start adding water a little at a time until you get the dough together. Less water will make crispier pakora. More water that makes a thick batter will lend soft inside and crispy outside pakoras. A pinch of baking soda 10 minutes before frying will lend a light pakoras. So adjust as per your preference.
  water as required

  1 pinch baking soda optional

Fry

• Heat a deep frying pan with enough oil to deep fry on a medium flame. Add about a tablespoon of hot oil to the pakora batter. Pinch small pieces of pakora dough and drop them into the hot oil. Fry the fritters on medium flame while turning the sides using a slotted spoon. Drain and remove the fritters that have fried evenly. Place them on a kitchen tissue to get rid of any excess oil.
  Oil to deep fry

Serve

• Serve the fried arugula fritters immediately with some of your favourite ketchup and some hot chai.

Nutrition Info

Calories: 200.57kcal | Carbohydrates: 23.48g | Protein: 5.2g | Fat: 10.31g

Course: Snack

Cuisine: Indian, South Indian

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