Oven: Savory Gluten-Free Chickpea Flour Loaf

August 20, 2026

PAKORA — WITHOUT THE FRY. 

I love traditional pakoras — deep-fried nuggets of naturally gluten-free chickpea flour mixed with veggies and spices and then deep-fried to crispy perfection. This recipe is all the taste without all the fuss and calories of frying. It’s also a little something different that I can whip up for guests, pull out of the oven, and serve without getting nervous about all the oil and mess. It is similar to the Gujarati snack called handvo but easier because we are not fermenting the ingredients. This is literally the batter for pakoras with some yogurt and baking soda, and then baked into a loaf.

I’ve been making this recipe for a quick in-between-meals snack and as a sub for falafel in a pita. There is so much you can do to make it your own by swapping out the veggies and playing with the spices. The key is to hand grate the vegetables to get the finest texture  (again, similar to handvo).

I will say, though, I had to make this recipe a few times to get the consistency right. It either needs to be baked in a wide pan or split into two loaves, because if it is too thick, the chickpea flour just will not ‘set’ and taste raw no matter how long you cook it. If this happens, you can simply slice it and pan-fry the slices in a skillet until cooked through. I learned all of this the hard way so that you don’t have to!

Once you do get the consistency and the baking pan right, you’ll make this over and over again. This is especially good in a kiddie lunch box — it holds up well and is delicious hot or cooled. This recipe is modified from my original one on page 104 in my book Vegan Indian Cooking.

Oven: Savory Gluten-Free Chickpea Flour Loaf

Makes: 1 loaf
Prep: 15-20 minutes
Bake: 60 minutes
Total: ~75-80 minutes

Ingredients

• 1 ½ cups grated white cabbage
  
• ½ cup grated zucchini
  
• 1-inch piece ginger, grated
  
• 1 medium yellow or red onion, minced
  
• 1 ½ teaspoons salt
  
• ¼ teaspoon turmeric powder
  
• ½ teaspoon red chile powder or cayenne 
  
• ½ cup plain, unsweetened yogurt or silken tofu
  
• 1 cup besan, chickpea flour 
  
• ½ teaspoon baking soda
  
• Unsmoked paprika, for garnish

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 400°F. 
2. Add all the ingredients except baking soda in the order listed above into a deep bowl and stir until it forms a thick batter similar to making muffins. No water is needed because the vegetables give off enough moisture. Just before you are ready to bake, add the baking soda and stir. 
3. Layer two medium loaf pans with parchment paper. Divide the batter and add half to each pan. Sprinkle each with paprika. Place in the oven and bake for 1 hour until golden brown. Pull out of the oven, let them cool, and then serve sliced or cubed with our tamarind chutney or a mint chutney. 

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