Name: Kale Pakora (Crispy Chickpea Flour Fritters) Gluten-free
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 25 min
Total time: 40 min
Yield: 4
Cuisine: Indian
Ingredients: 1 cup chickpea flour ((garbanzo bean flour. If using besan, add 2 to 4 tbsp more for thicker batter consistency)); 3 tbsp rice flour ((or use fine semolina. Semolina is not gluten-free)); 1/2 tsp salt; 1/2 tsp cumin seeds (, or other spices of choice such as carom seeds, mustard seeds, sesame seeds); 1/2 tsp turmeric; 1/3 tsp cayenne; 1 tsp oil (optional)); 1/2 cup water; 1/4 tsp baking powder; 1 red or green chili (, finely chopped); 1 tsp minced ginger; 6 curry leaves, finely chopped (optional); 1 bunch of curly kale (5 to 6 medium stems, 3+ cups packed after chopping)

Pakoras are a frequent snack especially around the festive season. People visit friends and family with a collection of sweets and snacks, hang out and eat fresh pakoras and drink masala chai!

Festivities begin on Dhanteras (the day of forture), where people clean up the house, set up lamps and lights and buy something new(new metal to bring good luck) for the house, to invite positivity, prosperity and happiness. Today is Choti (small) Diwali (day of knowledge), tomorrow will be Diwali (day of light), which is celebrated with lamps and amazing food to celebrate the victory of good over various kinds of evil.

This Pakora uses a few ingredients, is simple and baked. Bake till just about crisp and like pakoras or bake longer for crispier kale chips like result. serve with chutneys or dips of choice.

You can use this same method to make vegetable pakora (chop the veggies small and use less amount so that you have enough batter), or with onions(use thinly sliced onions). Bake them or fry them! Another veggie pakora which is simpler as you chop everything in the food processor can be foundhere. Lets make this kale pakora!

Chickpea flour. I use garbanzo bean flour here for a thicker batter. If using besan, add 2 to 4 tbsp more besan.
Rice flour adds a nice crunch. Use fin semolina to substitute
salt, cumin seeds, turmeric and cayenne for flavor
baking powder for a lighter pakora
green or red chili, ginger for additional flavor
water to make the batter
one bunch of curly kale or other greens of choice

How to make Kale Pakora

Measure out, and place ingredients onto your work space. Remove stems from the kale by pulling between your fingers, or by using a knife. Chop the kale into small pieces.

Ingredients laid out for Kale Pakora in bowls

Place all dry ingredients into a bowl

Whisk all dry ingredients together with the half cup of water until it is a creamy, light batter.

Batter for our Kale Pakora in a white bowl

The batter should not be too flowy. Add the kale to the batter, and mix and rub the batter on/between the leaves

Kale leaves coated in batter, in a white bowl

Spread on parchment lined sheet, and bake at 425 degrees for 18-30 minutes, depending on the size of the kale, and how crisp you’d like it to be. Reduce temp to 375 degrees after 22 minutes and move the dish around for even baking. Serve with green chutney, or tamarind chutney!

I like to crisp these up so they are more like kale chips. So I bake them longer. Check one at 22 mins and see if you want them crispier.