By Aditi Saraswat
June 30, 2026
Rainy evenings call for something crispy to pair with a hot cup of tea, but that does not mean it has to be deep-fried. This air fryer cheese pakoda recipe gives the same crunchy layer and gooey cheese inside with very little oil, making it a perfect light monsoon tea-time snack that perfectly suits the rainy day mood.
200 g Mozzarella or processed cheese block, cut into cubes 1 cup besan (gram flour) 2 tbsp rice flour 1 tsp red chilli powder ½ tsp turmeric powder ½ tsp ajwain (carom seeds) ½ tsp crushed black pepper ½ tsp garam masala 1 tsp ginger-garlic paste 2 tbsp chopped coriander leaves Salt to taste Oil spray for brushing/spraying
In a bowl, mix besan, rice flour, chilli powder, turmeric, ajwain, black pepper, garam masala, ginger-garlic paste, coriander, and salt with little water to make a thick but smooth batter.
Pat dry the cheese cubes thoroughly before dipping them into the batter. Cover each cube evenly in the batter so it does not split while baking.
Preheat the air fryer to 190°C for about 3 to 4 minutes. Lightly grease with oil or line the basket with perforated parchment paper so that nothing sticks to the bottom.
Arrange the coated cheese cubes in the basket, leaving small gaps between them; do not overcrowd. Lightly spray or brush it with oil so it crisps evenly.
Air fry at 190°C for 8 to 10 minutes, flipping halfway through. Spray a little more oil after flipping to get extra golden and crunchy pakodas.
Serve it instantly with mint chutney and a hot cup of masala chai for a monsoon tea-time treat.