Leftover Rice Pakoda (Crispy Rice Fritters)

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Make crispy leftover rice pakoda with cooked rice, besan, onion and spices. An easy Indian tea-time snack with a golden crust and soft centre.

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Jump to:

• Recipe story
• Rice Pakoda (Crispy Rice Fritters)
• Why you'll love this leftover rice pakoda
• Ingredients Needed
• Step by step instructions to make chawal pakode
• Tips for crisp rice pakoda
• More ways to use leftover rice
• Leftover Rice Pakoda
• Easy variations
• How i Make My Chai
• Planning a party menu around these pakoda
• the possible Questions?

Recipe story

With the lockdown situation, most of us are at home, so it is natural to cook a little more, which sometimes ends up as leftover.

Being a rice eater, we always have a small cup of rice extra. I usually make mixed rice with the rice the next day. The best of day old rice, we love this spinach rice or chickpeas rice made with leftovers. You can also try this rice and bean salad. or add it while grinding idly/dosa batter for soft idly.

This time i tried making rice pakoda with them . It turned out delicious and kiddos enjoyed them.

Rice Pakoda (Crispy Rice Fritters)

Leftover rice pakoda, our new favorite hot, crisp evening snack made from a small bowl of cooked rice.. The rice is mixed with besan, onion, green chilli, ginger, coriander and a few everyday spices, then fried until the edges are golden and crunchy.

These rice pakoda, also called rice pakora or chawal ke pakode, are especially good with a cup of chai. The outside turns crisp while the rice keeps the centre pleasantly soft. It is a simple recipe, but it feels like a proper treat

Why you'll love this leftover rice pakoda

• It uses just one cup of leftover cooked rice. Perfect for a small family, one time munching. No overeating or extras carried over.
• Simple ingredients, readily available in all Indian household.
• The mixture comes together in one bowl.
• It makes a small batch for tea time, a rainy afternoon or an impromptu snack for guests.

Ingredients Needed

• Leftover rice
• Besan and spices like red chili powder, coriander powder, cumin, ajwain and garam masala.

• Onion, ginger and coriander leaves. Onion gives the batter volume. If sattvic, you can add shredded cabbage or even carrots. If adding carrots, increase the chili a bit more for the heat.
• Coriander and curry leaves for the flavor. Oil for deep frying.

Step by step instructions to make chawal pakode

• In a wide bowl, take the leftover rice, if the rice is dry, sprinkle water and steam or microwave cook it to make it soft.
• To the rice, add besan, onions, green chili, ginger, curry leaves and chopped coriander leaves and all the mentioned spices and salt. Mix well together.
• Sprinkle 2-3 tablespoon of water to get a bindable mixture. When pressed the mixture should hold shape.

• Next step is to fry, heat oil in a frying pab, when the oil is hot, pinch small balls out of the mixture and drop it in hot oil.
• Deep fry them until golden brown in medium heat. Drain on apaper towel
• Serve it hot with chai.

Tips for crisp rice pakoda

• Use soft rice. Very dry rice will not bind easily. A little steaming or microwaving brings it back to the right texture.
• Keep the mixture tight. The most common mistake is adding too much water. Start with one tablespoon and add more only if the mixture refuses to hold together.
• Add besan gradually. Rice varies in moisture, so the exact amount of gram flour can change slightly. Add another teaspoon if the mixture feels loose.
• Fry small portions. Large pakoda can brown outside before the centre is hot and cooked.
• Wait for the oil to heat. If the oil is not hot enough, the pakoda will absorb more oil and lose its crisp texture. Test with a tiny piece of the mixture; it should rise steadily and sizzle around the edges.
• Serve them fresh. Like most pakoda, these are at their best straight from the pan.

More ways to use leftover rice

Have more cooked rice in the refrigerator? Try ginger and garlic rice or colorful capsicum rice for lunch, or make the comforting leftover rice breakfast bowl.

For a traditional breakfast, Neer Aagaram turns leftover rice into a cooling fermented rice porridge.

Easy variations

• Leave out the onion if you prefer an onion-free version; add shredded cabbage or carrot.
• Add finely chopped spring onion, grated carrot or a little crushed roasted peanut for a flavorsome pakode.
• For a milder batch, skip the green chilli and rely on the chilli-coriander powder for gentle heat.

How i Make My Chai

Planning a party menu around these pakoda

For a relaxed party menu, serve these leftover rice pakoda as the hot starter and add cabbage vadai, easy cheese rolls or Aloo Bonda for another grab-and-eat bite.

For the main course, a comforting rice dish such as tomato coconut milk pulao works beautifully, or pair Gobi Manchurian with rice and a simple side.

Finish with an easy dessert like eggless pumpkin coconut cake or festive Puran Poli. This gives you a menu with a crunchy starter, a filling main and a sweet finish without making every dish at the last minute.

the possible Questions?