What's new

The Perfect Pakora?

KingKhanWC

KingKhanWC

World Star
Joined
Jan 2, 2010
Runs
50,860
Im trying to learn how to cook.

I thought I'd make some pakoras as they seem easy enough.

Ive seen these ingrediants on the BBC website.

1 green chilli, chopped
thumb-sized piece ginger, roughly chopped
1 tomato, roughly chopped
200g gram flour
1 ½ tsp chilli powder
1 ½ tsp garam masala
1 ½ tsp ground coriander
2 medium potatoes, peeled, halved and thinly sliced, then halved into quarter moons
½ aubergine, thinly sliced, then halved into quarter moons
½ cauliflower, cut into florets
1 large onion, finely sliced
½ lemon, juiced
vegetable oil, for frying
chutney, to serve

https://www.bbcgoodfood.com/recipes/pakora

I want to make a traditional style from Pakistan.

Are these ingrediants correct? Im not too sure on aubergine and cauliflower in my pakoras?

Are Indian and Bangladeshi versions different at all?
 
My cooking skills are so non-existent that I cannot even crack an egg, but I think learn how to cook Pakistani/Indian food from a BBC website is not the best idea.

Try some Pakistani/Indian cooking channels on YouTube. You will get more accurate recipes and preparation methods.

Aubergine and cauliflower pakoras are quite common but it is more of an acquired taste.

Try egg pakoras, they are really good.

The pakora batter is made of “besan”, but I have no idea if it is a special kind of flour or some ingredient(s) added to regular flour which turns it into “besan”.
 
Mamoon said:
My cooking skills are so non-existent that I cannot even crack an egg, but I think learn how to cook Pakistani/Indian food from a BBC website is not the best idea.

Try some Pakistani/Indian cooking channels on YouTube. You will get more accurate recipes and preparation methods.

Aubergine and cauliflower pakoras are quite common but it is more of an acquired taste.

Try egg pakoras, they are really good.

The pakora batter is made of “besan”, but I have no idea if it is a special kind of flour or some ingredient(s) added to regular flour which turns it into “besan”.
Click to expand...

I know what besan is, used to go to the local Uncles corner shop on a weekly basis to buy this for my mother. lol

There are so many different types and recipes. What is the original pakora ingrediants?

I like potato ones too but not sure about egg pakoras. Im assuming it's boiled eggs wrapped with the besan mixture?
 
KingKhanWC said:
I know what besan is, used to go to the local Uncles corner shop on a weekly basis to buy this for my mother. lol

There are so many different types and recipes. What is the original pakora ingrediants?

I like potato ones too but not sure about egg pakoras. Im assuming it's boiled eggs wrapped with the besan mixture?
Click to expand...

Yes, boiled eggs in pakora batter. You should try YouTube channels like food fusion or village food secrets to get traditional and original recipes.
 
Never heard of Pakistani cauliflower pakoras. The usual options are Onions, Potatoes, Aubergine and Green Chilli and it is mostly a Ramadhan dish, haven't seen it eaten much outside Iftari. Basically just mix the besun (chickpea flour) and the masalas into a batter (dont really need the tomato either) and dip whatever you want in it and fry.

I personally don't egg pakoras but if you are to make it, cover it with a generous amount of batter otherwise you just get a thin oily layer of basun on the sliced anda.
 
Paneer pakoras are amazing. It is the only type of pakora I eat in Ramzaan other than the occasional egg pakoras.
 
Mamoon said:
Yes, boiled eggs in pakora batter. You should try YouTube channels like food fusion or village food secrets to get traditional and original recipes.
Click to expand...

Mankaded said:
Never heard of Pakistani cauliflower pakoras. The usual options are Onions, Potatoes, Aubergine and Green Chilli and it is mostly a Ramadhan dish, haven't seen it eaten much outside Iftari. Basically just mix the besun (chickpea flour) and the masalas into a batter (dont really need the tomato either) and dip whatever you want in it and fry.

I personally don't egg pakoras but if you are to make it, cover it with a generous amount of batter otherwise you just get a thin oily layer of basun on the sliced anda.
Click to expand...

Egg pakoras sound & look great but im not ready to make them atm.

Ill try Onions, Potatoes & Green chili. :inzi
 
Mamoon said:
My cooking skills are so non-existent that I cannot even crack an egg, but I think learn how to cook Pakistani/Indian food from a BBC website is not the best idea.

Try some Pakistani/Indian cooking channels on YouTube. You will get more accurate recipes and preparation methods.

Aubergine and cauliflower pakoras are quite common but it is more of an acquired taste.

Try egg pakoras, they are really good.

The pakora batter is made of “besan”, but I have no idea if it is a special kind of flour or some ingredient(s) added to regular flour which turns it into “besan”.
Click to expand...

why do people use Aubergine instead of eggplant?

is it the British way of saying eggplant

it sounds too boogie for my liking...
 
Ramzaan Mubarak is around the corner, so you better learn making Pakodhas quickly:)
 
Mamoon said:
Paneer pakoras are amazing. It is the only type of pakora I eat in Ramzaan other than the occasional egg pakoras.
Click to expand...

Is it a family or local thing? Cuz I haven't really seen Paneer pakoras in Karachi or Lahore. I mean you can pakora almost anything under the sun but I haven't seen it being mass produced and consumed commercially.
 
Mankaded said:
Is it a family or local thing? Cuz I haven't really seen Paneer pakoras in Karachi or Lahore. I mean you can pakora almost anything under the sun but I haven't seen it being mass produced and consumed commercially.
Click to expand...

Local thing. Peshawar/KP produces the best paneer in Pakistan. In fact, it is very hard to find paneer in Lahore and Karachi.
 
KingKhanWC said:
Egg pakoras sound & look great but im not ready to make them atm.

Ill try Onions, Potatoes & Green chili. :inzi
Click to expand...

Just boil the egg, slice it, dip it in the batter and fry. Same as everything else. Although make sure the egg is hard boiled.
 
Bigboii said:
why do people use Aubergine instead of eggplant?

is it the British way of saying eggplant

it sounds too boogie for my liking...
Click to expand...

I prefer to call it aubergine or brinjal. Eggplant sounds dumb and childish. No wonder Americans prefer to use it. What else do you expect from people who call pavement “sidewalk”.

It is said that when Americans decided to distinguish their language from the British (but still chose to call it “English”), they asked a bunch of kids to name things. That is why they came up with dumb words like eggplant and sidewalk.
 
Mamoon said:
I prefer to call it aubergine or brinjal. Eggplant sounds dumb and childish. No wonder Americans prefer to use it. What else do you expect from people who call pavement “sidewalk”.

It is said that when Americans decided to distinguish their language from the British (but still chose to call it “English”), they asked a bunch of kids to name things. That is why they came up with dumb words like eggplant and sidewalk.
Click to expand...

This makes me so happy :salute

you are 100% a Pakistani,(for any Pakistani bakht still calling you an Indian this is the proof we have been looking for)
Despising the American way of life is practically Pakistani past time

Love it!
 
Bigboii said:
This makes me so happy :salute

you are 100% a Pakistani,(for any Pakistani bakht still calling you an Indian this is the proof we have been looking for)
Despising the American way of life is practically Pakistani past time

Love it!
Click to expand...

I have nothing but admiration for America. I only spent a few years in the country but it made me realize why they are so far ahead of the rest and why they are the greatest and most powerful country in the world.

I don’t despise their way of life at all. However, when it comes to language, they are lazy and simplistic.
 
Bigboii said:
This makes me so happy :salute

you are 100% a Pakistani,(for any Pakistani bakht still calling you an Indian this is the proof we have been looking for)
Despising the American way of life is practically Pakistani past time

Love it!
Click to expand...

Its because he was brought up on British English like most of us not living in the US otherwise he would be enjoying an eggplant pakora on the sidewalk.
 
Mamoon said:
I have nothing but admiration for America. I only spent a few years in the country but it made me realize why they are so far ahead of the rest and why they are the greatest and most powerful country in the world.

I don’t despise their way of life at all. However, when it comes to language, they are lazy and simplistic.
Click to expand...

There are some words that are simplistic and self explanatory because it reflects their fast paced lifestyle and to do things "The American Way" I suppose. Another one I don't get is "Gas" for the car when Petrol is clearly liquid.

Although if you want to put it in that criteria though, German is even more lazy, simplistic and simply uninspiring but you have a word for almost everything.
 
KingKhanWC said:
Im trying to learn how to cook.

I thought I'd make some pakoras as they seem easy enough.

Ive seen these ingrediants on the BBC website.

1 green chilli, chopped
thumb-sized piece ginger, roughly chopped
1 tomato, roughly chopped
200g gram flour
1 ½ tsp chilli powder
1 ½ tsp garam masala
1 ½ tsp ground coriander
2 medium potatoes, peeled, halved and thinly sliced, then halved into quarter moons
½ aubergine, thinly sliced, then halved into quarter moons
½ cauliflower, cut into florets
1 large onion, finely sliced
½ lemon, juiced
vegetable oil, for frying
chutney, to serve

https://www.bbcgoodfood.com/recipes/pakora

I want to make a traditional style from Pakistan.

Are these ingrediants correct? Im not too sure on aubergine and cauliflower in my pakoras?

Are Indian and Bangladeshi versions different at all?
Click to expand...

You may wanna add a very small pinch of backing soda in the mixture and also a couple of tea spoons of corn starch to act as a sticking agent. And definitely you want to add a tea spoon of whole cumin seeds.

My most favorite part is, just as you will cut thin slices of aubergine, use the same with a large size tomato.

Cut a few thin slices, dup 'em in the batter and fry them up. That stuff is good if you get it right.
 
Mamoon said:
I have nothing but admiration for America. I only spent a few years in the country but it made me realize why they are so far ahead of the rest and why they are the greatest and most powerful country in the world.

I don’t despise their way of life at all. However, when it comes to language, they are lazy and simplistic.
Click to expand...

oh man it was just a bit of banter calm down :azhar2 (btw I don't hold American "culture" in high regards either I hesitantly agree with you there, old world is ahead by a long shot... I was just breaking b*** tbh nothing too serious)

I genuinely didn't know it was the British way of saying it, I was confused that's why the question

remember [MENTION=9]Saj[/MENTION] using the word and I thought he was trying to act posh
but now I am realizing that's the actual word for Eggplant in Britain :))
 
Colorblind Genius said:
You may wanna add a very small pinch of backing soda in the mixture and also a couple of tea spoons of corn starch to act as a sticking agent. And definitely you want to add a tea spoon of whole cumin seeds.

My most favorite part is, just as you will cut thin slices of aubergine, use the same with a large size tomato.

Cut a few thin slices, dup 'em in the batter and fry them up. That stuff is good if you get it right.
Click to expand...

I was wondering how the mixture sticks together, great thanks!

Ill post a pic of the best pakoras ever made after my first ever attempt :)
 
Mamoon said:
I prefer to call it aubergine or brinjal. Eggplant sounds dumb and childish. No wonder Americans prefer to use it. What else do you expect from people who call pavement “sidewalk”.

It is said that when Americans decided to distinguish their language from the British (but still chose to call it “English”), they asked a bunch of kids to name things. That is why they came up with dumb words like eggplant and sidewalk.
Click to expand...

Is that the same as baingan? Never heard of it referred to as 'brinjal', my parents are Pothwari speakers (who also speak Urdu, but not at home) and I only speak basic Pothwari (understand it all) and bad-to-average comprehension of (non-formal) Urdu.
 
KingKhanWC said:
I was wondering how the mixture sticks together, great thanks!

Ill post a pic of the best pakoras ever made after my first ever attempt :)
Click to expand...

another grandma cooking trick is, to not add too much salt in the mixture to begin with.
Add a little less than what you think, then fry a small pakora, let it cool down and get a taste. if the salt is good, don't mess with it. If it needs a little more, help yourself.
 
Colorblind Genius said:
another grandma cooking trick is, to not add too much salt in the mixture to begin with.
Add a little less than what you think, then fry a small pakora, let it cool down and get a taste. if the salt is good, don't mess with it. If it needs a little more, help yourself.
Click to expand...

Taste as you go, great.

Which sauce is best with pakoras? I see many eating them with tomato ketchup but it's a bit lame imo.
 
KingKhanWC said:
Taste as you go, great.

Which sauce is best with pakoras? I see many eating them with tomato ketchup but it's a bit lame imo.
Click to expand...

For me personally, it's either tamarind chutni sauce (over the counter ones will do), or fresh mint leaves crushed and mixed in slightly diluted yogurt.
 
I personally like the bhaji more than a pakora. A pakora is usually made up of finely chopped vegetables with chilli and minced onions, mint/coriander, curry leaves, etc., and deep fried in batter. Bhaji is usually any sliced vegetable deep fried in batter. In my opinion, the onion bhajis are the Goat, the potato bhajjis are quite good as well. The plantain (slices of raw banana) bhaji and chilli bhaji (not your normal green chilli, but a giant chilli that's less spicy that's deep fried in batter) are very popular in the south as well, but I'm not sure if they're prevalent in North India or Pakistan. I have eaten the brinjal/aubergine bhaji once, but I'm not a fan of it and it's not common as well. And [MENTION=131701]Mamoon[/MENTION] is right, the egg bhajis (or pakora) are brilliant. Used to be my staple street food during my time in Kerala - a couple of hot egg bhajis with a side of spicy red chutney and elaichi flavoured chai used to be my routine snack in the evenings.

I would advise you to eat those pakoras or bhajis with a side of any chutney of your choice. I'm personally a tomato chutney person but I would admit the fresh coconut chutney is far more famous and goes very well with the pakoras or bhajis. If you like spicy chutney, go for the fiery red chilli chutney. It's all very easy to prepare and preparation videos are common in the youtube. Eating pakoras with ketchup is for uncultured people.
 
Last edited:
Mamoon said:
I have nothing but admiration for America. I only spent a few years in the country but it made me realize why they are so far ahead of the rest and why they are the greatest and most powerful country in the world.

I don’t despise their way of life at all. However, when it comes to language, they are lazy and simplistic.
Click to expand...

bromance
 
Bigboii said:
why do people use Aubergine instead of eggplant?

is it the British way of saying eggplant

it sounds too boogie for my liking...
Click to expand...
Why say aluminum instead of aluminium? Do you say magnesum too?
Back to topic, start from sieved dry mix and separate precut veg. When mixed the Vega will releases a lot of water. They will come out crispy. Use anardana too
 
Last edited:
Also go heavy on the ginger. Grab a whole piece of ginger and grate that sucker in the mix. Dill and coriander and coriander seeds.
 
Mankaded said:
There are some words that are simplistic and self explanatory because it reflects their fast paced lifestyle and to do things "The American Way" I suppose. Another one I don't get is "Gas" for the car when Petrol is clearly liquid.

Although if you want to put it in that criteria though, German is even more lazy, simplistic and simply uninspiring but you have a word for almost everything.
Click to expand...
Short for gasoline
 
the potatoe needs to be fried proeprly. Usually people end up having raw potatoes in the pakora.
 
Aloo ka pakora is in a league of its own.

Then palak (spinach)

Yeah don’t use BBC recipes where they take our culture and give out watered down recipes with no flavor or spice. Watch a desi auntie’s recipe vid on YouTube instead :inti
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top