Phulkopir bora| Fulkopir bora | Cauliflower pakoda

Phulkopir bora aka fulkopir bora is a pure Bengali delicacy which is prepared in almost every Bengali house, mostly during winter and monsoon. This scrumptious and comforting recipe for pakoda is vastly popular in the subcontinents of eastern India. It has got the perfect bite of crispiness with a earthy flavor of cauliflower. In this preparation, medium cauliflower florets are blanched and dried, and then further dipped in a mildly spicy batter prepared with all-purpose flour, rice flour and gram flour and are then deep fried in oil. Fulkopi bora recipe is a perfect companion for evening snacks with a cup of tea and a perfect side with dal, rice and ghee.

About the recipe
Health Benefits of Cauliflower
Tips and Suggestions
How to make Phulkopir Bora (step wise photos)
Recipe Card

Phulkopir bora aka fulkopir bora is a crispy and delectable vegetarian snack recipe Indian. In this preparation, medium cauliflower florets are blanched and dried, and then a batter is prepared with all-purpose flour, rice flour, gram flour, a few spices and seasoning. Further, the cauliflower florets are dipped in the mildly spicy batter and then deep fried till crispy golden in colour.

Phulkopir bora always has been one of my favourite Indian snacks recipe. I have grown up eating this crispy delight. Whenever I talk about this classic Bengali recipe, I always feel nostalgic. I still remember how I used to ask my mom to prepare Phulkopir bora and used to have it with hot rice, Pyaj diye masoor dal and a little bit of ghee for lunch. Only a bong can imagine the comfort, delight and warmth of this simple combination.

Phulkopir bora recipe is very simple and easy to make. It only requires a few handfuls of ingredients to getting prepared. It is a perfect recipe for a novice. The best part of the recipe is that it gets prepared very quickly without investing much time.

Phulkopir bora with step-by-step photos and instructions have been provided in the ‘Instructions’ section. If you follow the steps carefully, you will get the perfect crispy cauliflower fritters. But before directly jumping into the recipe, let me share a few interesting facts about the key ingredient – cauliflower and about the recipe.

• It is a good source of nutrients, vitamins and minerals.
• It is full of fibre which is good for our digestive system.
• It contains antioxidants which help to get rid of many chronic diseases.
• Cauliflowers have low calories and can be your great friend during your weight loss journey.
• It is a good source of sulforaphane which decreases the risk of heart disease and diabetes.

Many people face problems to prepare crispy cauliflower pakoda because they turn soggy. If you take care of a few things, then you will get perfectly crispy pakodas.

• After blanching the cauliflower florets, make them moisture free. It helps to make crispier pakora.
• Use a small portion of rice flour with all-purpose flour and gram flour. It helps to make your pakoda crispy.
• Add some mustard oil to the batter to make the pakoda crispier.
• The consistency of the batter should be neither too thick nor too runny. It should be medium.
• Always deep fry the cauliflower pakodas. Shallow frying makes the pakoda soft and soggy.
• Fry the pakodas on medium or medium-high flame. Don’t fry them on low flame or else the batter will absorb more oil and pakodas will become soggy.

For the phulkopir bora, first, wash the cauliflower and cut them into medium florets.

Add some water into a pan and put it on high flame. Once the water starts boiling, turn the flame low and add cauliflower florets into it. Cover the pan and cook it over low flame for 2-3 minutes and then strain the florets. Pat dry each cauliflower floret with kitchen tissue and keep them aside.

Now take a large mixing bowl to prepare the batter. Add all-purpose flour, gram flour, and rice flour into the mixing bowl. Then add the seasoning and spices- salt, sugar, turmeric powder, red chilli powder, nigella seeds, and poppy seeds, one by one into the bowl and mix all the dry ingredients with a spoon.

After this, add mustard oil to the bowl and mix it thoroughly. Now, add a small amount of water at a time and make a medium-thick batter for the pakoda.

Now, put a pan on flame and allow it to become completely dry. Add enough oil to the pan to deep fry the pakodas. To check the temperature of the oil, drop a small portion of the batter into the oil. If it floats up immediately then the temperature of the oil is perfect to fry the pakodas.

Add the pat-dried cauliflower florets into the batter and coat it evenly. Now, slowly drop the florets into the hot oil and fry them over medium flame till crispy and golden brown. Strain the pakodas from oil and keep them on a tissue-lined plate. Don’t overcrowd the pan during the time of frying pakodas. Repeat the process and fry all the pakodas.

Sprinkle some black salt on the phulkopir bora and serve it immediately.

Many recipe for pakoda has already been shared in my previous posts. You can check a few of them like

Capsicum Bajji
Cabbage Pakoda
Spinach pakoda
Aloo pakoda

..And Many more…

1 cup = 250 ml

• 20 medium Cauliflower florets
• ½ cup all-purpose Flour (Maida)
• ¼ cup Rice flour (Chawal ka atta)
• ¼ cup Gram flour (Besan)
• 7 tablespoons Water
• 1 tablespoon mustard Oil, for the pakoda batter
• 1 tablespoon Poppy seeds (Posto aka khas khas)
• ½ teaspoon Nigella seeds (Kalonji)
• ½ teaspoon Turmeric powder
• ½ teaspoon red Chilli powder
• ¾ teaspoon Sugar
• 1 teaspoon Salt or as per taste
• ½ cup oil to deep fry the pakodas

1. Wash the cauliflower and cut them into medium florets.
2. Add some water into a pan and put it on high flame. Once the water starts boiling, turn the flame low and add cauliflower florets into it.
3. Cover the pan and cook it over low flame for 2-3 minutes and then strain the florets. Pat dry each cauliflower floret with kitchen tissue and keep them aside.
4. Take a large mixing bowl to prepare the batter. Add ½ cup all-purpose flour, ¼ cup gram flour, and ¼ cup rice flour into the mixing bowl.
5. Add the seasoning and spices- 1 teaspoon salt, ¾ teaspoon sugar, ½ teaspoon turmeric powder, ½ teaspoon red chilli powder, ½ teaspoon nigella seeds, and 1 tablespoon poppy seeds, one by one into the bowl and mix all the dry ingredients with a spoon.
6. Add 1 tablespoon mustard oil into the bowl and mix it thoroughly.
7. Add a small amount of water at a time and make a medium-thick batter for the pakoda. I have added 7 tablespoons of water to the batter.
8. Put a pan on flame and allow it to become completely dry. Add enough oil to the pan to deep fry the pakodas.
9. To check the temperature of the oil, drop a small portion of the batter into the oil. If it floats up immediately then the temperature of the oil is perfect to fry the pakodas.
10. Add the pat-dried cauliflower florets into the batter and coat it evenly.
11. Now, slowly drop the florets into the hot oil and fry them over medium flame till crispy and golden brown.
12. Strain the pakodas from oil and keep them on a tissue-lined plate. Don’t overcrowd the pan during the time of frying pakodas. Repeat the process and fry all the pakodas.
13. Sprinkle some black salt on the phulkopir bora and now it’s ready to serve.

Transfer the phulkopir bora to a serving plate. Serve the hot pakoda immediately with hot dal-rice or with a cup of tea to enjoy your evening snacks.

Phulkopir bora| Fulkopir bora | Cauliflower pakoda

Serves: 20 pieces Prep Time: 5 minutes Cooking Time: 15 Minutes 15 Minutes

Nutrition facts: NA calories NA fat

Rating: 4.0/5

( 2 voted )

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Ingredients

1 cup = 250 ml

• 20 medium Cauliflower florets
• ½ cup all-purpose Flour (Maida)
• ¼ cup Rice flour (Chawal ka atta)
• ¼ cup Gram flour (Besan)
• 7 tablespoons Water
• 1 tablespoon mustard Oil, for the pakoda batter
• 1 tablespoon Poppy seeds (Posto aka khas khas)
• ½ teaspoon Nigella seeds (Kalonji)
• ½ teaspoon Turmeric powder
• ½ teaspoon red Chilli powder
• ¾ teaspoon Sugar
• 1 teaspoon Salt or as per taste
• ½ cup oil to deep fry the pakodas

Instructions

1. Wash the cauliflower and cut them into medium florets.
2. Add some water into a pan and put it on high flame. Once the water starts boiling, turn the flame low and add cauliflower florets into it.
3. Cover the pan and cook it over low flame for 2-3 minutes and then strain the florets. Pat dry each cauliflower floret with kitchen tissue and keep them aside.
4. Take a large mixing bowl to prepare the batter. Add ½ cup all-purpose flour, ¼ cup gram flour, and ¼ cup rice flour into the mixing bowl.
5. Add the seasoning and spices- 1 teaspoon salt, ¾ teaspoon sugar, ½ teaspoon turmeric powder, ½ teaspoon red chilli powder, ½ teaspoon nigella seeds, and 1 tablespoon poppy seeds, one by one into the bowl and mix all the dry ingredients with a spoon.
6. Add 1 tablespoon mustard oil into the bowl and mix it thoroughly.
7. Add a small amount of water at a time and make a medium-thick batter for the pakoda. I have added 7 tablespoons of water to the batter.
8. Put a pan on flame and allow it to become completely dry. Add enough oil to the pan to deep fry the pakodas.
9. To check the temperature of the oil, drop a small portion of the batter into the oil. If it floats up immediately then the temperature of the oil is perfect to fry the pakodas.
10. Add the pat-dried cauliflower florets into the batter and coat it evenly.
11. Now, slowly drop the florets into the hot oil and fry them over medium flame till crispy and golden brown.
12. Strain the pakodas from oil and keep them on a tissue-lined plate. Don’t overcrowd the pan during the time of frying pakodas. Repeat the process and fry all the pakodas.
13. Sprinkle some black salt on the phulkopir bora and now it’s ready to serve.