These Christmas Pakora or Brussels Sprouts Pakora are made with seasonal winter vegetables and warming Indian spices. Perfect for entertaining over Christmas or using up leftovers! They’re naturally vegan and gluten-free too.
Serve with Cranberry Sauce for the perfect blend of Christmas flavour and Indian spices.
I love to celebrate seasonal vegetables, and these Indian fusion Christmas Pakora are just the way to do that. They’re a variation on mixed vegetable pakoras or onion bhajis .
The recipe list may look long but the ingredients can be found in grocery stores.
Christmas Pakora Ingredients
Brussels sprouts – alternatively, use red or green cabbage. Trim the sprouts, cut off the hand stalk and slice into shreds.
Onions – white or red both work. Cut into slices.
Carrots – peel and grate the carrots.
Fresh coriander or fenugreek leaves – finely chopped
Green chillies – leave out if you are not a fan of heat.
Ginger – garlic paste – easy to buy in store or simply crush fresh ginger and garlic in a food processor with a dash of water.
Whole cumin seeds
Gram flour – aka chickpea flour to bind the pakoras.
Rice flour or corn starch – helps the pakora to become crispy. I use it in my other pakora recipes, like this palak pakora chaat .
Spices – chilli powder, turmeric powder, garam masala – or freshly ground black pepper. Alternatively, use curry powder.
Lemon juice or chaat masala
Bicarbonate of soda , baking powder, beer or sparkling water – if using beer or sparkling water, you will not need extra water.
Salt
Water
Oil to deep fry pakoras – use any neutral oil such as sunflower oil or corn oil works best.
Top Tips for perfect Christmas Pakora
Leave any washed vegetables to drain as much as possible as the added liquid can cause the batter to become runny.
Add water little by little so that you achieve a thick paste. Note that the vegetables have their own moisture.
Pour in a little hot oil to the pakora mixture to make them extra crispy.
Add the bicarbonate of soda just before frying so you do not loose the rising properties of the soda.
Whilst frying, gently poke holes using a sharp knife into the pakora to allow more oil to penetrate and cook from the inside.
Keep adjusting the temperature of the oil if needed to prevent the outside burning too quickly.
Serving Suggestions
Christmas Pakora are a delicious appetizer or snack. Serve alongside some poppadom dips , jam chutney or samosa sauces.
Add them to pitta or naan wraps and add this Winter Slaw and chutneys.
If you’re going to be entertaining, you might like to include some festive mocktails like this Cranberry Orange Mocktail or Non Alcoholic Mimosa .
Storage
Pakoras or bhajis are best eaten immediately or within a few hours of preparing.
Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge and eat within 2 days. Reheat in the oven or air fryer to revive them.
Christmas pakora will freeze really well. Store in freezer bags and reheat from frozen in the oven until piping hot through.
Other Christmas Appetizers
Cranberry Cream Cheese Pinwheels with Puff Pastry
Mini Baked Potatoes with Cranberry Whipped Feta Dip
Roasted Brussels Sprouts, Kale & Cranberry Salad
Other Indian Fusion Recipes
Cardamom Dauphinoise
Tandoori Paneer Galette
Tandoori Paneer Tarte au Soleil
Brussels Sprouts and Potato Curry
As always if you make this recipe, be sure to leave me a comment, rate this recipe and tag me on Instagram @jcookingodyssey or #jcookingodyssey. I love seeing all your photos of my recipe recreations!
Don’t forget to follow me on social media using the buttons below – I can’t wait to see you all there!
- YouTube
Christmas Pakora (Brussels Sprouts Pakora)
Ingredients
- 250 gram Brussels sprouts alternatively use red or green cabbage. Trim the sprouts, cut off the hand stalk and slice into shreds.
- 2 Carrots peel and grate the carrots.
- 1 Onions white or red both work. Cut into slices.
- 2 Green chillies leave out if you are not a fan of heat.
- ¼ cup Fresh coriander or fenugreek leaves finely chopped
- 1 tablespoon Ginger garlic paste
- 1 teaspoon Whole cumin seeds
- 1 cup Gram flour aka chickpea flour to bind the pakoras.
- ¼ cup Rice flour or corn starch
- 1 teaspoon chilli powder
- ½ teaspoon turmeric powder
- ½ teaspoon garam masala or freshly ground black pepper. Alternatively, use curry powder.
- 1 tablespoon Lemon juice or a large pinch chaat masala
- ½ teaspoon Bicarbonate of soda baking powder, beer or sparkling water – if using beer or sparkling water, you will not need extra water.
- Salt to taste
- Water as required
- Oil to deep fry pakoras – use any neutral oil such as sunflower oil or corn oil works best.
Instructions
- Prepare all the veggies.
- In a large bowl mix together the sprouts, carrots, onions, coriander, chillies, spices, salt.
- Mix in the gram flour and rice flour.
- Allow the mixture to sit for a few minutes to allow the vegetables to release any moisture. If prepping ahead, leave the mixture here.
- Add water little by little until you achieve a thick paste consistency.
- Heat oil in a heavy bottomed pan.
- Add in the bicarbonate of soda just before frying and pour a little lemon juice over the soda to make it fizz. Stir the batter vigorously.
- Add a small amount of the batter to test the temperature of the oil. The batter should have bubbles around it but the outside should not burn too quick. Adjust the heat accordingly.
- Shape the batter into a rough ball and gently drop into the oil. You can cook multiple pakora at the same time depending on the size your pan.
- Fry until they are cooked through and the outside is golden brown.
- Serve as soon as possible.
Air Fryer Method
- Spray or brush oil in the air fryer basket.
- Shape the batter into small balls. Keep them small and not too much height so that they cook all the way through.
- Arrange in the air fryer basket with a small gap in between.
- Spray or brush with oil generously.
- Air Fry at 170C or 340 F for 7-10 minutes or until cooked through and golden brown. Timings can vary.
Video
Notes
Nutrition
PLEASE NOTE: Nutritional values are estimated by a computer and may vary based on ingredients and portion sizes. For personalised dietary advice, please consult a qualified healthcare professional.
Christmas Pakora (Brussels Sprouts Pakora)
Ingredients
- 250 gram Brussels sprouts alternatively use red or green cabbage. Trim the sprouts, cut off the hand stalk and slice into shreds.
- 2 Carrots peel and grate the carrots.
- 1 Onions white or red both work. Cut into slices.
- 2 Green chillies leave out if you are not a fan of heat.
- ¼ cup Fresh coriander or fenugreek leaves finely chopped
- 1 tablespoon Ginger garlic paste
- 1 teaspoon Whole cumin seeds
- 1 cup Gram flour aka chickpea flour to bind the pakoras.
- ¼ cup Rice flour or corn starch
- 1 teaspoon chilli powder
- ½ teaspoon turmeric powder
- ½ teaspoon garam masala or freshly ground black pepper. Alternatively, use curry powder.
- 1 tablespoon Lemon juice or a large pinch chaat masala
- ½ teaspoon Bicarbonate of soda baking powder, beer or sparkling water - if using beer or sparkling water, you will not need extra water.
- Salt to taste
- Water as required
- Oil to deep fry pakoras - use any neutral oil such as sunflower oil or corn oil works best.
Instructions
- Prepare all the veggies.
- In a large bowl mix together the sprouts, carrots, onions, coriander, chillies, spices, salt.
- Mix in the gram flour and rice flour.
- Allow the mixture to sit for a few minutes to allow the vegetables to release any moisture. If prepping ahead, leave the mixture here.
- Add water little by little until you achieve a thick paste consistency.
- Heat oil in a heavy bottomed pan.
- Add in the bicarbonate of soda just before frying and pour a little lemon juice over the soda to make it fizz. Stir the batter vigorously.
- Add a small amount of the batter to test the temperature of the oil. The batter should have bubbles around it but the outside should not burn too quick. Adjust the heat accordingly.
- Shape the batter into a rough ball and gently drop into the oil. You can cook multiple pakora at the same time depending on the size your pan.
- Fry until they are cooked through and the outside is golden brown.
- Serve as soon as possible.
Air Fryer Method
- Spray or brush oil in the air fryer basket.
- Shape the batter into small balls. Keep them small and not too much height so that they cook all the way through.
- Arrange in the air fryer basket with a small gap in between.
- Spray or brush with oil generously.
- Air Fry at 170C or 340 F for 7-10 minutes or until cooked through and golden brown. Timings can vary.
Video
Notes
Nutrition
PLEASE NOTE: Nutritional values are estimated by a computer and may vary based on ingredients and portion sizes. For personalised dietary advice, please consult a qualified healthcare professional.
My sumptuous Christmas Truffles are made with only 3 ingredients – chocolate, cream and orange zest! They’re fabulous sweet treats, look fantastic and are easy to make. Perfect as edible gifts for the chocolate lover (or as a treat for yourself!).
The best part of the festive season is to get in the kitchen and make all kinds of goodies! We’ve been loving these Nutella Puff Pastry Christmas Trees .
I’ve gone for chocolate orange truffles as the combination of chocolate and orange during the holiday season is an absolute classic! Terry’s chocolate orange anyone? I love the combination so much that it’s also in my eggless chocolate orange cake .
This decadent truffles recipe is adapted from my homemade chocolate truffles which are made with only 2 ingredients.
The first time I made these, I took them to work for an office Christmas lunch. Safe to say, they were a huge hit! They’d be perfect as edible gifts too.
I’ve kept the recipe without alcohol so that they can be enjoyed by all.
Ingredients
Full ingredients with measurements are available in the recipe card below at the end of this post
Dark chocolate – you can use chocolate chips or, as I did, finely chop chocolate slabs. I’ve used dark chocolate for the filling and to enrobe the truffles.
Use good quality chocolate for this recipe. Aim for 50 – 70% as chocolate. I find that more than 85% is too bitter and may require more cream.
Cream – use heavy cream aka double cream in the UK. Do not use single cream or half and half as the fat content is not high enough.
Orange zest – if you don’t have fresh oranges, I’ve found that orange essence is a good alternative. I love the zingy flavour from orange zest so definitely use that if you can.
Garnishes:
Orange peel – optional to garnish the truffles
Gold glitter or edible foil – optional to garnish the decadent christmas truffles.
Variations
In addition to the orange peel and glitter , you could make a batch and use some Christmas sprinkles .
You may want to keep things plain and go for the classic coating of cocoa powder or icing sugar.
You can also add in a dash of vanilla extract – orange and vanilla work so well that I’ve used the combination in my Vegan Burnt Basque Cheesecake .
For Boozy Christmas chocolate truffles add 2 teaspoons of spiced rum or Cointreau, whisky or gin.
Use milk chocolate or creamy white chocolate, if serving to kids or those who can not tolerate dark chocolate.
How to make easy Christmas Truffles
You may want to use the double boiler method or the microwave to heat the cream and chocolate. You will need a heatproof bowl.
I’ve used the double boiler method using the Instant Pot and a microwave-safe bowl for this recipe.
Finely chop the chocolate so that it is easy to melt. Reserve half as you will need it to coat the truffles.
Set the bowl over the inner pot or saucepan that is filled with water.
Over a low heat, gently heat the cream – ensure the bowl is not touching the simmering water. Once it is warm, stir in the chopped chocolate and fold gently until evenly incorporated.
Allow to cool to room temperature then place in the fridge. I like to cover the top of the mixture with cling film to prevent condensation.
Chill for a 3-4 hours. You should have a crumbly thick mixture.
Rinse your hands under cold water. Take a small amount of the chocolate mixture and roll into a ball. This will get sticky!
Once you have prepared all of your truffles, place them back in the fridge to chill.
I’ve gone for a chocolate coating but you may want to go for something different.
Melt chocolate in the microwave in 30 second bursts or use the double boiler.
Dip truffles into the melted chocolate using a fork, coat all over then transfer onto parchment paper. I like to use a small skewer to push the truffle off the fork.
Whilst the chocolate is wet, I added the orange peel.
Allow the chocolate coating to completely set before storing the truffles.
Storage
Store truffles in an airtight container and keep in the fridge for up to 1 week. The heavy cream in the truffles means that they can spoil.
They can melt at room temperature so keep them stored in a cool place if you do not want to serve them chilled on the day.
You can freeze truffles for up to 1 month. Store them in a freezer bags and place the bags in a freezer safe container. Allow to thaw at room temperature or in the fridge.
As always if you make this recipe, be sure to leave me a comment, rate this recipe and tag me on Instagram @jcookingodyssey or #jcookingodyssey. I love seeing all your photos of my recipe recreations!
Don’t forget to follow me on social media using the buttons below – I can’t wait to see you all there!
- YouTube
Christmas Truffles with Chocolate Orange
Equipment
- 1 Sauce pan or Instant Pot
- 1 Microwave safe bowl
- 1 Spatula
Ingredients
Truffle Centre
- 300 gram dark chocolate approx 50-70% cocoa
- 300 millilitres heavy cream or double cream
- 1 tablespoon orange zest
Decoration
- 200 gram dark chocolate to enrobe the truffles
- orange peel optional
- edible gold leaf or glitter
Instructions
- You may want to use the double boiler method or the microwave to heat the cream and chocolate. You will need a heatproof bowl.
- I’ve used the double boiler method using the Instant Pot and a microwave-safe bowl for this recipe
- Finely chop the chocolate so that it is easy to melt. Reserve half as you will need it to coat the truffles.
- Set the bowl over the Instant Pot inner pot or saucepan that is filled with water.
- Over a low heat, gently heat the cream – ensure the bowl is not touching the simmering water. Once it is warm, stir in the chopped chocolate and orange zest and fold gently until evenly incorporated.
- Allow to cool to room temperature then place in the fridge. I like to cover the top of the mixture with cling film to prevent condensation.
- Chill for a 3-4 hours. You should have a crumbly thick mixture.
- Rinse your hands under cold water. Take a small amount of the chocolate mixture and roll into a ball. This will get sticky!
- Once you have prepared all of your truffles, place them back in the fridge to chill.
- I’ve gone for a chocolate coating but you may want to go for something different.
- Melt chocolate in the microwave in 30 second bursts or use the double boiler.
- Dip truffles into the melted chocolate using a fork, coat all over then transfer onto parchment paper. I like to use a small skewer to push the truffle off the fork.
- Whilst the chocolate is wet, I added the orange peel.
- Allow the chocolate coating to completely set before storing the truffles.
Video
Notes
Nutrition
PLEASE NOTE: Nutritional values are estimated by a computer and may vary based on ingredients and portion sizes. For personalised dietary advice, please consult a qualified healthcare professional.
