Pakoda, vada, cutlets and kebabs fill the snacks section of this site. They are fried in different ways (deep, shallow or on a griddle), and each one has its own flame. Get those right and the snacks come out crisp and golden instead of greasy or broken.
This guide collects the frying steps from Siddhi’s snack recipes in one place.
Every recipe linked in this guide is cooked in Siddhi’s own kitchen before it goes live.
The short answer
Heat the oil before anything goes in, then fry on the flame your recipe gives (medium for most of Siddhi’s pakodas) until golden on all sides, and drain on a kitchen towel.
- Make sure the oil is hot enough. Siddhi warns that cutlets break and spring rolls absorb oil if it is not.
- Slide snacks in gently, a few at a time.
- Take them out onto a kitchen towel or tissue paper to soak up the extra oil.
Siddhi’s two warnings about oil
Two of her recipes spell out what happens when the oil is not hot enough. In the Rice Cutlet recipe: make sure the oil is hot enough, otherwise the cutlets will break. In the Chinese Veg Spring Roll recipe: make sure the oil is hot enough, otherwise the rolls will absorb oil.
Flame and doneness, snack by snack
| Snack | Frying | Oil and flame | Done when |
|---|---|---|---|
| Crunchy Paneer Pakora | Deep | Medium-hot oil | Crisp and golden brown |
| Chinese Pakoda | Deep | Oil heated well; medium flame | Golden brown on all sides |
| Maggi Pakoda | Deep | Medium, then medium-high | Golden and crunchy |
| Onion Rings | Deep | Medium hot oil | Light golden |
| Sweet Corn Cutlet | Deep | Medium hot oil | Light golden on both sides |
| Rice Cutlet | Deep | Hot oil; medium-high flame | Golden on both sides |
| Chinese Veg Spring Roll | Deep | Hot oil; low-medium for the second side | Golden brown on both sides |
| Falafel | Deep | Hot oil; low-medium flame | A golden colour |
| Crunchy Chunky Tikki | Deep | Hot oil; low flame | Light golden brown on both sides |
| Crispy Potato Balls | Deep | Oil heated well; medium-high flame | Golden brown |
| Paneer Fingers | Shallow | Sizzling hot oil; medium flame | Light golden |
| Veg Kabab | Shallow | Hot oil; medium flame, two at a time | Golden on both sides |
| Corn and Peas Seekh Kebab | Griddle | Greased griddle; medium flame | Golden brown underneath, then turned |
Before the snacks go in
- Grease your palms with oil when shaping. Siddhi does this for potato fingers, sweet corn cutlets and dahi ke kebab.
- She coats potato fingers in bread crumbs, if you have them, for a crispier texture. Dahi ke kebab are coated in bread crumbs too.
- Slide them in gently. Several recipes say to place them in the oil gently, one or a few at a time.
After frying
Siddhi takes fried snacks out onto a kitchen towel or tissue paper to soak up the extra oil. For Veg Kabab she lets the excess oil drip off in the pan before lifting them out. She serves many of them hot with green chutney or tomato ketchup.
FAQs
Why do cutlets break in oil?
In her rice cutlet recipe, Siddhi warns that the oil must be hot enough, otherwise the cutlets will break.
Why do spring rolls soak up oil?
Siddhi says the oil must be hot enough before the spring rolls go in, otherwise they absorb oil.
What flame should I fry pakoda on?
Siddhi fries most of her pakodas and pakoras on a medium flame. For Maggi pakoda she finishes them on medium-high heat until golden and crunchy.
How do I make potato fingers crispier?
In her crispy potato suji fingers recipe, Siddhi coats them in bread crumbs, if you have them, for a crispier texture.