Pakora

Pakoras served in a restaurant in Rawalpindi, Pakistan

Pakora (Template:Lang-hi; Template:Lang-ur) is a fried snack found across the Indian subcontinent. An integral part of Indian cuisine, Punjabi cuisine and Pakistani cuisine, pakoras are also found in other South Asian countries such as Bangladesh, Nepal and Sri Lanka. Pakoras are created by taking two or three ingredients, such as chicken, onion, aubergine, potato, spinach, cauliflower, tomato or chilli, dipping them in a batter of gram flour and then deep-frying them. The most popular varieties are palak pakora, made from spinach, paneer pakora, made from paneer (soft cheese), and pyaz pakora, made from onion. When onions, on their own, are prepared in the same way, they are known as onion bhujia or bhaji.

Pakoras are usually served as snacks, often taken with chai, or appetizers, and are commonly eaten as starters in restaurants. In the UK, pakoras are popular as a fast food snack, available in Indian takeaways as an alternative to chips or kebabs. Especially popular in Scotland, there even exists a variety known as haggis pakora, and ordinary pakoras are commonly available in Scottish chip shops. During Ramadan, the month of fasting, pakoras are often eaten by Muslims during Iftar (the evening meal to break the fast).

Among the Muslim Cape Malays of South Africa, pakoras are known as dhaltjies, and are usually eaten as an appetizer during Iftar, or as appetizers for weddings, births, or similar occasions.

In southern India, Pakoras as described above are known as Bajji rather than Pakoda. For it to be a Pakoda (note the spelling), a mix of finely cut onions, green chillies for flavour and gram flour is fried rather than dipping the onions in a batter and frying them. Unlike the pakoras of the north, this onion pakoda is very crispy outside and medium soft to crispy inside. There is also a variety that is softer overall, usually termed Garam Pakoda (for hot Pakoda) in restaurants. If it is relatively softer (like the pakoras) and made of any other ingredients such as potatoes etc. dipped in a gram flour batter and fried, then it will be usually called Bajji with the name of the vegetable/ingredient optionally prefixed to it (some examples in Tamil: urlakazhangu (=potato) bajji, vaazhakka (green plantain) bajji, molaga (chillies) bajji, bread bajji).

External links

• http://www.indianchild.com/vegetable_pakora_recipe.htm
• http://www.recipezaar.com/110215
• http://www.indiasnacks.com/recipe/637/Onion-Pakora-(Vengaya-Pakora).php
• Lots of Pakora Recipes and Cooking Videos