PAKORA INFORMATION

Pakora (pronounced [pəkoʊɽaː]), also called pakoda or pakodi, is a ready to eat snack (fritter). Originally from India, it is found across South Asia.

In the southern states of India, such preparations are known as bhajji rather than pakora. Usually, the name of the vegetable that is deep-fried is suffixed with bhajji. 

For instance, potato bhajji is sliced potato wrapped in batter and deep-fried. In such states, pakoda is taken to mean a mix of finely chopped onions, green chillies, and spices mixed in gram flour. This is rolled into small balls or sprinkled straight in hot oil and deep-fried. These pakodas are very crisp on the outside and medium soft to crisp inside.

There is also a variety that is softer overall, usually termed media pakoda in restaurants, that is made of any other ingredients, such as potatoes.

Pakoras are popular across India, Pakistan, and Great Britain–particularly in Scotland. 

They are sometimes served in a yogurt-based curry (salan), as a main dish, pakora karhi, rather than as a separate snack. In this case, the pakoras are generally doughier and are made from chopped potato, onion and chili mixed into the batter, instead of individual fried vegetable slices.

Pakoras are also encountered in Afghan cuisine. In China and Nepal, they are called pakoda and pakauda, respectively.

Preparation

Pakoras are created by taking one or two ingredients, such as onion, eggplant, potato, spinach, plantain, cheese,cauliflower, tomato, or chili pepper. They are also occasionally made with bread. 

They are dipped in a batter of gram flour and then deep-fried. The most popular varieties include pyaaz pakora, made from onion, and aloo pakora, made from potato. Other variations include paalak pakora, made from spinach, and paneer pakora, made from paneer (soft cottage cheese). When onions, on their own, are prepared in the same way, they are known a sonion bhajji. A variation of pakora made from wheat flour, salt, and tiny bits of potato or onion (optional), is called noon bariya (nūn = salt) (Hindi: नूनबरिया), typically found in eastern Uttar Pradesh in India.

Serving

Pakoras are usually served as snacks or appetizers. 

In Great Britain, pakoras are popular as a fast food snack, available inIndian and Pakistani restaurants. They are also often served with chai to guests arriving to attend Indian wedding ceremonies, and are usually complemented with tamarind chutney, brown sauce, or ketchup.

Goli Baje is a type of pakoda, which is part of Udupi cuisine.

Pakoras have played an important role in Indian cinema history, as Raj Kapoor allegedly met and was won over by the sight of Nargis answering the door of her mother's house, with a smear of pakora batter across her forehead. The result of that meeting was to go on and contribute to their pairing in some of the finest and most popular films in the world.