Crispiest brussels sprouts pakoras/fritters recipe is for anyone who is looking to add some more flavor and spice to their traditional brussels sprouts recipe. I have a love-hate relationship with brussels sprouts. I love to eat them but only if they are baked till charred or deep-fried. Flavor is key for me so I cannot eat them if they are boring!

This recipe is anything but boring. Why not make the crispiest brussels sprouts pakoras//fritters for this Thanksgiving? These are loaded with Indian spices and onions and you will never know you are eating brussels sprouts! Try it as I guarantee you that you will not be disappointed!

What is pakora/fritters?

Pakoras/fritters also known as bhaji is a fried snack. We typically use besan (gram flour) to coat the vegetables along with aromatic Indian spices and then deep fry them. You can make any kind of pakoras, you are only limited by your imagination. I love eating fish, gobhi (cauliflower), aloo (potatoes), and onion pakoras dunked in mint and cilantro chutney. They make a perfect snack for any weekday or weekend!

What kind of brussels sprouts do I need for this recipe?

The easiest way is to buy the shaved brussels sprouts (They are available at WholeFoods and Trader Joe’s). If you cannot find the shaved kind, then you can buy the whole brussels sprouts, remove the hard stem, and shave them using a food processor or simply thinly slice them with a sharp knife (that’s what I did). It takes 5 minutes.

Can I air-fry the brussels sprouts pakoras/fritters?

I did try air frying them but did not like the way they turned out. They were not crispy and felt a little dry. You can certainly try it as I think the results vary depending on the quality of the air fryer. The ultimate way to enjoy them is to deep fry them as they caramelize and are extremely tender.

Tips to make the crispiest brussels sprouts pakoras/fritter

• Use 2 tablespoons of rice flour in the batter. This will result in the crispiest pakoras you have ever had!
• First, mix your batter without adding any water. Use both hands and squeeze the brussels sprouts and onions for a few minutes. This will release the moisture from the onions so that you don’t have to add so much water.
• Your batter should not be watery. It should be a little thick (it should hold its shape when you squeeze it in the palm of your hands).
• To fry the pakoras, take a big batch in your hand and gently add to the oil going round in a circle.
• Let the pakoras fry for 1 minute before you start moving them around in the oil.
• Test fry a small batch first to check for seasoning.