Sweet Potato Fritters are easy-to-make delicious snacks or finger food recipes prepared in less than 20 minutes. These fritters or pakora are vegan and dairy-free.
Also, check our traditional Indian tea recipe and popular evening snacks.
About the recipe
Fritters, also called pakora, pakoda, bajji, podi, or bajo, are popular Indian street food and evening tea-time snacks. Bajji (pakora) and Indian tea are one of the best combos you will ever try.
The key ingredient used to make the battered fries is chickpea flour (besan). You can add other spices for flavor.
Visit any Mangalore Udupi restaurant for evening tea, and you will find genasu podi (kanga bajo or sweet potato bajji) as one of the popular items. Serve it with tomato ketchup, coriander, mint chutney, or dates tamarind chutney.
Ingredients
Sweet Potato: Peel and slice them into rounds or thin slices.
Chickpea flour, Also called besan or gram flour, is the base for the fritter batter.
Spices: Cumin seeds, hing, red chile powder, and salt are used to make any pakoras. You can add other spices like garlic powder, chat masala, fresh herbs to enhance the taste.
Coconut oil: We love fritters (pakoda or bajji) when fried in coconut oil. If it is unavailable, then use vegetable oil or any neutral oil.
See the recipe card below for a full list of ingredients and measurements.
Step-by-step Instructions
Prepare the batter
- Wash and peel the skin of sweet potatoes and slice them into 3-4 mm thick circles.
- Add chickpea flour, chile powder, cumin seeds, hing, salt, and/or (any spices of your choice, like garlic powder, dried herbs, chat masala, garam masala, etc.) at this point ). Add water in increments to form a medium-thick batter.
- Tip: When you dip each sweet potato slice, you want the slices to coat with the batter. If you add too much water while making the batter, adjust by adding extra flour.
How to fry the sweet potato fritters(pakora)?
- Heat oil in a pan for frying. See that the pan is atleast 40 % covered with oil.
- Dip each sweet potato slice in the batter, drop them in oil ( 6 to 7 slices at a time), and fry til they are crisp and golden brown in color.
- Transfer it to a paper towel to absorb any excess oil.
- Repeat the process for the remaining sweet potatoes.
- Serve hot with tomato ketchup, mint chutney, or sweet dates chutney and enjoy.
Tips to make the best fritters (pakora)
- For crispy fritters, you should have the batter of the right consistency.
- Do not fry them if the oil is warm. Fritters will absorb excess oil and turn soggy. Always fry by switching the flame between medium and medium-high.
- Battered fritters (pakora or bajji) taste great without adding baking soda.
- Adjust and use the spices as needed. I keep my batter simple. You can add any spice powders, including pizza seasoning, if desired.
- Do not overcrowd the pan while frying.
- Want the crispy outer covering for sweet potato pakora or fritters? Try one of these: Add 2 tablespoon of rice flour or 1 tablespoon of hot oil while preparing the batter.
- The best part about the besan or chickpeas batter is that you can also fry raw banana, potato (aloo), squash, plantains (sweet banana), jalapeno, anaheim, cauliflower (gobi), broccoli, paneer (tofu), aubergine (eggplant), okra (bhindi), bell pepper (capsicum), breadfruit (jeev kadgi), bread, shrimp (prawns), chicken, crab, pork, clam. (Cut the vegetables into rounds or lengthwise, dip them in batter, and fry.)
- These fritters taste the best when served hot right from the pan. If there are any leftovers, reheat them in the microwave, but they won't be crispy.
Recipe FAQS
The consistency of the batter should be medium thick, and the temperature of the oil should be hot enough for the fritters to become crispy.
To make gluten-free, simply skip the asafoetida (hing) in the recipe.
They are crispy on the outside with a hint of creaminess and nuttiness inside.
More Fritters (Pakora, Bajji, Podi) Recipes
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Recipe card
Best Sweet Potato Fritters Recipe | Sweet Potato Pakora (Bajji)
Equipment
- Pan for frying
Ingredients
- 1 Sweet Potato
- ½ cup Chickpea flour
- ½ cup Water approx
- 1 teaspoon Red chile powder
- 1 teaspoon Cumin seeds
- ¼ teaspoon Asafoetida / Hing
- ¼ teaspoon Turmeric powder optional
- ½ teaspoon Dried Basil leaves optional
- Salt to taste
- Vegetable oil for frying
Instructions
Prepare the batter
- Wash and peel the skin of sweet potatoes and slice them into 3-4 mm thick circles.1 Sweet Potato
- Add chickpea flour, chile powder, cumin seeds, hing, salt, and/or (any optional spices of your choice, like garlic powder, dried herbs, chat masala, garam masala, etc.) at this point. Add water in increments to form a medium-thick batter.½ cup Chickpea flour, ½ cup Water approx, 1 teaspoon Red chile powder, 1 teaspoon Cumin seeds, ¼ teaspoon Asafoetida / Hing, ¼ teaspoon Turmeric powder, ½ teaspoon Dried Basil leaves, Salt
- Tip: When you dip each sweet potato slice, you want the slices to coat with the batter. If you add too much water while making the batter, adjust by adding extra flour.
How to fry the sweet potato fritters(pakora)?
- Heat oil in a pan for frying. See that the pan is atleast 40 % covered with oil.Vegetable oil
- Dip each sweet potato slice in the batter, drop them in oil ( 6 to 7 slices at a time), and fry til they are crisp and golden brown in color.
- Transfer it to a paper towel to absorb any excess oil.
- Repeat the process for the remaining sweet potatoes.
- Serve hot with tomato ketchup, mint chutney, or sweet dates chutney and enjoy.
Notes
- For crispy fritters, you should have the batter of the right consistency.
- Do not fry them if the oil is warm. Fritters will absorb excess oil and turn soggy. Always fry by switching the flame between medium and medium-high.
- Battered fritters (pakora or bajji) taste great without adding baking soda.
- Adjust and use the spices as needed. I keep my batter simple. You can add any spice powders, including pizza seasoning, if desired.
- Do not overcrowd the pan while frying.
- Want the crispy outer covering for sweet potato pakora or fritters? Try one of these: Add 2 tablespoon of rice flour or 1 tablespoon of hot oil while preparing the batter.
- The best part about the besan or chickpeas batter is that you can also fry raw banana, potato (aloo), squash, plantains (sweet banana), jalapeno, anaheim, cauliflower (gobi), broccoli, paneer (tofu), aubergine (eggplant), okra (bhindi), bell pepper (capsicum), breadfruit (jeev kadgi), bread, shrimp (prawns), chicken, crab, pork, clam. (Cut the vegetables into rounds or lengthwise, dip them in batter, and fry.)
- These fritters taste the best when served hot right from the pan. If there are any leftovers, reheat them in the microwave, but they won't be crispy.
Note: We originally posted this street-style sweet potato pakora (bajji) in Sep 2015. It has now been modified in Sep 2023 with Expert Chef Tips, FAQs, Storage Instructions, etc.
Ashley | Spoonful of Flavor
I wouldn't be able to stop snacking on these delicious fritters! I love sweet potatoes and these are perfect!
Kushi
You are right 🙂 Thank you so much Ashley!
Anu Yalo
innovative...didnt try it with sweet potato...
Kushi
Its yummy. do try this one dear. Thank you 🙂
Nava Krishnan
Nice to see a savoury version of sweet potato fritters. I like and like and like.
Kushi
Thank you so much Nava 🙂
Jolly
Never tried sweet potato fritters, it looks crisp and delicious dear 🙂
Kushi
Do try! you will love it. Thank you Jolly!
amrita
Outside salty and inside sweet...loved it...
Kushi
Thank you Amrita 🙂