Black Onion Ring Pakora

Fried Onions, Spiced Potato, Black Garlic Aïoli, Onion Skin-Charcoal Powder, Spiced Sesame, Turmeric, Nasturtium

Chef Mayank Istwal of Musaafer | Houston, TX

---

Adapted by StarChefs  |  August 2025  |  Photo: Will Blunt

INGREDIENTS

Onion Skin-Charcoal Powder:
Yield: 144 pakoras
25 grams white onion skin
25 grams activated charcoal powder

Onion Batter:
Yield: 8 pakora
200 grams tapioca flour
150 grams all-purpose flour
100 grams rice flour
6 grams red chile powder
5 grams ground cumin
3 grams turmeric powder
280 milliliters sparkling water
Kosher salt

Potato Mixture:
Yield: 16 pakoras
300 grams boiled potatoes
40 grams chopped white onions
25 grams chopped cilantro
15 grams chopped ginger
8 grams chaat masala
6 grams black salt
5 grams red chile powder
5 grams turmeric powder
5 grams ground cumin
5 grams chopped chiles
3 grams toasted cilantro seeds
Kosher salt

Black Garlic Aïoli:
Yield: 17 pakoras
2 egg yolks
4 grams soy sauce
Granulated sugar
200 grams neutral oil
2 heads black garlic, chopped into a paste
8 milliliters lime juice
Kosher salt

Sesame Spice Mix:
Yield: 5 pakoras
30 grams Kashmiri chile powder
20 grams granulated sugar
10 grams amchur powder
8 grams toasted sesame seeds
8 grams chaat masala
5 grams ground cumin
5 grams black salt
5 grams onion powder
3 grams garlic powder
Kosher salt

To Assemble and Serve:
Yield: 1 serving
700 milliliters oil for frying
1 large white onion
Turmeric powder
Beet root powder
Moringa powder
Nasturtium

METHOD

For the Onion Skin-Charcoal Powder:
Heat oven to 392°F. Place onion skin on a sheet tray and roast until onions have blackened. Reduce oven temperature to 248°F. Continue cooking until onions are fully dried out. Let cool. Transfer to a Vitamix commercial blender and blend until a fine powder is achieved. Add charcoal powder and blend to combine. Transfer to an airtight container and reserve.

For the Onion Batter:
In a mixing bowl, whisk to combine flours, spices, and 20 grams Onion Skin-Charcoal Powder. Slowly stream in sparkling water until a thick batter is achieved. Season with salt. Transfer to an airtight container and refrigerate.

For the Potato Mixture:
In a large mixing bowl, combine all ingredients. Season with salt. Transfer to an airtight container and refrigerate.

For the Black Garlic Aïoli:
In a mixing bowl, whisk to combine egg yolks, soy sauce, and a pinch of sugar until light and fluffy. While whisking, slowly stream in oil, mixing until fully emulsified. Stir in black garlic paste. Season with lime juice and salt. Transfer mixture to a squeeze bottle and refrigerate.

For the Sesame Spice Mix:
In a mixing bowl, combine all ingredients. Transfer to an airtight container and reserve.

To Assemble and Serve:
In a fryer, heat oil to 329°F. On a work surface, remove top and bottom from onion. Slice onion into 2 thick rings. Keep layers intact. Take outermost layer and coat inside of ring with 150 grams Potato Mixture. Place smaller layer inside of larger layer and set aside. Repeat with remaining onion slice. Dip onions into Onion Batter to evenly coat. Add to hot oil and fry until golden brown and crispy. Fry twice more. Transfer fried onions to a work surface and punch a small hole in the middle of each onion. Transfer to a serving plate. Fill each hole with 15 grams Black Garlic Aïoli. Top with 100 grams Sesame Spice Mix. Dust plate with turmeric, beet root powder, and moringa powder. Garnish with nasturtium. 

---