Thinly slice the onions, place them in a mixing bowl with the salt, and toss well so the salt is evenly distributed.

Let the salted onions sit until they turn soft and release visible moisture, which will later help bind the batter without needing much added water.

Add the green chili, ginger, coriander leaves, red chili powder, turmeric, and ajwain to the softened onions and mix well until evenly distributed.

Sprinkle in the gram flour and rice flour and mix gently, adding water only a teaspoon at a time, until the mixture just comes together into a thick batter that coats the onion strands without turning runny.

Pour the oil into a kadai and heat it over medium-high heat until a small drop of batter dropped in sizzles and rises to the surface immediately.

Drop small, loosely shaped portions of the batter into the hot oil, without overcrowding the kadai, and fry until the undersides turn light golden.

Turn the pakoras occasionally with a slotted spoon and continue frying over medium heat until they are deep golden brown and crisp all over.

Lift the pakoras out with the slotted spoon and place them on a plate lined with paper towels to drain off excess oil.

Repeat the frying process with the rest of the batter in small batches, letting the oil return to temperature between batches, until all the pakoras are fried and drained.