Recipe written by chef Habiba Syed: "These crunchy golden potato pakoras are a Ramadan staple. My mom would fry these up and spread them out on newspaper pages so they could stay crisp. They remind me of the last few minutes of daylight ticking away and everyone whispering quick prayers before the Athan would go off. Once the call to prayer was heard, everyone would reach for these, wrap them in thin pita bread and dunk them in fresh green chutney. These crispy fritters are simple yet comforting and a crowd favorite. Within minutes, the golden crispy pakoras come together using only a few pantry items.”
In a bowl, combine all the dry ingredients including yellow food coloring (or turmeric for natural coloring). Add in the water and whisk until the consistency is smooth and slightly thick.
Peel and thinly slice the potatoes (the thinner, the better).
Heat about 2-3 inches of cooking oil in a heavy-bottomed pot to 375 degrees F.
Dip each slice of potato in the batter and, working a few at a time, transfer the potatoes to the hot cooking oil (making sure not to overcrowd the oil).
Using a slotted spoon, fish out fried potato pakoras and place on a paper towel to drain the oil. Sprinkle with a pinch of salt.