Author Notes: Inspired by A Brown Table’s cauliflower Parmesan pakoras, these fried onion skin snacks are a savory and simple way to integrate antioxidant-rich onion skins into your diet. Serve with a cucumber raita spiked with ginger and garlic. —Kate Weiner
Serves: 4
Ingredients
For the pakora-fried onion rings:
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4
yellow onions (medium)
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Olive oil, for blending
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1 1/2
tablespoons Kosher sea salt
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2
cups chickpea flour
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1/2
cup Parmesan (grated) or nutritional yeast
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1
teaspoon baking soda
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1/2
teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
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1
pinch cayenne
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Vegetable oil, for frying
For the kefir-cucumber raita:
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1
cup kefir
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1
tablespoon olive oil
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3/4
cup chopped cucumber
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1
splash lemon juice
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1
teaspoon minced garlic
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1/2
teaspoon minced ginger
Directions
- To make the kefir-cucumber raita, mix together all of the ingredients. Set aside.
- Carefully peel onions: Throw away the paper and set the skins (the thicker outer layer normally discarded) aside. Cut the onions crosswise into 1/4- to 1/2-inch thick slices.
- Optional: Bring a small part of water to a boil. Add the thick onion skins and cook until soft and pliable. If you cooked the onion skins, drain them.
- In a blender, purée soft the onion skins with a splash of olive oil and a pinch of salt until smooth.
- In large mixing bowl, stir together chickpea flour, Parmesan, salt, baking soda, pepper, and cayenne.
- Stir the onion skin mixture into the pakora batter. If you need to, add water to make the batter the consistency of a thick pancake batter.
- Pull apart the onion slices into rings, then mix into the batter and let sit for approximately ten minutes. Pour a couple inches of vegetable oil into a heavy-bottomed pan or wok and heat over medium-high.
- Once oil is hot, add the pakora-battered onions to the pan and cook until golden-brown. Nik of A Brown Table suggests transferring the fried onions from the pan to a paper towel-lined plate with a slotted spoon to help drain any excess oil.
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Photo by Mark Weinberg
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Photo by Mark Weinberg