Chicken and Veg Pakoda – Air fryer review

Air Fryer Pakoda! What comes to your mind when I utter the word “Pakoda?” Every family has their pakoda story. So does mine.

Before I start ranting on about my nostalgic memories, I should explain what a Pakoda is. Wikipedia says, “The word pakoṛā is derived from Sanskrit पक्ववट pakvavaṭa-, a compound of pakva ‘cooked’ and vaṭa ‘a small lump’ or its derivative vaṭaka ‘a round cake made of pulse fried in ghee’.” In a nutshell, it’s a deep fried batter made of chicken, vegetables and more. If you did not get the idea, it’s fine. I will explain in further detail what it is.  Stay tuned.

My mum used to make pakodas quite often–once or twice a week for sure. Sometimes she used to dip vegetables (potatoes and onions slices) in chickpea batter and deep fry them until it became golden brown. Some days she used to make mixed veg pakoda. No matter what kind of veg pakoda she made, she always served it with puffed rice and her special ginger-masala chai. This was our usual evening food, but there were exceptions.

During monsoon season, whenever we used to find dark clouds partying in the sky, mom knew that she had to make pakodas for us. When she started frying, we would pour puffed rice in our bowls. After frying two to three, she would tell us to start eating without her because they’re best served hot. She also ate in the kitchen while preparing. As soon as the first few were gone, she prepared more. And she mashed those last few pieces together with puffed rice and served it to us. We used to call with “Muri Makha”(mashed puffed rice). That mashed puffed rice with spicy fritters were out of the world. I do not miss anything about Kolkata, but I miss my mum’s ‘muri makha’ for sure. There is no food in the world that can replace it.

She also made chicken pakodas whenever someone visited or after I finished my exams. But she never told me before my exam, otherwise I would purposely finish early and come home for pakodas. She learnt this pakoda from a restaurant, I believe; I am not sure. Like all of her dishes she mastered it slowly, and it become a crowd pleaser. When she came to visit me in Buffalo, she prepared a couple of pounds of pakoda, and we distributed them among my friends and colleagues. Everyone in Buffalo loved them, even the people who had never tried it before.

When we threw a big holiday party in December 2012, she prepared and served them as the appetizer. Every loved it so much that they filled up on Pakoda and couldn’t finish the main course.

I ate a lot less pakoda after coming to the US. Pakodas consume a lot of oils, so I only made it a few times. Well, these are some sacrifices you have to make when you’re in your late 20’s. I have a desk job, unlike mom who used to work day and night without resting. I go to the gym five days a week and try to eat as healthy as I can. Well you know, I have to maintain my girly figure even if I am thirty ;). Yes, I turned 30 this year on May 23rd.

A couple of days ago I found a new device called an air fryer from none other than Deeba Rajpal of Passionate About Baking. Then I saw Himanshu’s post (from the white ramekins) on the air fryer. I asked in the Facebook group “Crave Cook Click” about it, and Manasi from The Hour Glass Mommy convinced me to get one. A few days later my mother-in-law’s book club gifted us a dessert set for our wedding. I realized that we don’t eat much cakes or pies right so I returned it in Bed Bath & Beyond and bought an air fryer.

If you’re buying an air fryer in The States I recommend you get it from Bed, Bath & Beyond because you can use the 20% off coupon they love to send in the mail. If you’re planning to buy one let me know. I can mail you some of my coupons.  This air fryer is the best thing I have ever had. I use it almost every day. I used to do a lot of baking in the oven before but now I use my air fryer instead.  I’m pretty sure it also consumes a lot less energy than my oven.

I used the air fryer to fry breadcrumb coated chicken tenders, potatoes, cauliflower, eggplant and my curries. I have seen people drooling over stand mixers, but this kitchen gadget is much more helpful. (I do have stand mixer too). I thought about doing a blogpost about it and, no, Phillips is not paying me to say this.

So here is my take on the Phillips Air fryer:

1. The taste is exactly the same as deep frying.
2. The texture is the same as deep frying.
3. The air fryer requires 70% less oil than deep frying. I fry everything with only one tablespoon of  vegetable oil. I used to use 1 cup or more of oil for deep frying.
4. The air fryer requires less time than deep frying.
5. The air fryer has a timer, and while its frying you can do other things like putting on makeup or cutting salad.

I would say go for it, but remember, everything is trial and error with a new gadget.  I love it so far, and I am very happy with it.

You should marinate the chicken a minimum of 1 hour, although for best results I recommend marinating from 6 hours to overnight. If you are marinating it for a long time, cover the marination with cling wrap and refrigerate. I started with the marination so I can do the rest while the meat marinates. If you’re vegetarian, skip this step and go directly to veg pakoda. 

Heated oil is highly recommended. It makes the pakoda crisp. In a non-stick pan, heat oil over medium heat until it becomes hot.

For chicken pakoda, adding water is not recommended. For veg pakoda, you can add 1-2 tablespoons of water.  If you’re using a wok use 1 to 2 cups of vegetable oil for deep frying, unless you’re using an air fryer.

Instructions