Pakora
Spiced fritter originally from the Indian subcontinent
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Etymology
The word pakoṛā is derived from Sanskrit पक्ववट, pakvavaṭa, a compound of pakva ('cooked') and vaṭa ('a small lump') or its derivative vaṭaka, 'a round cake made of pulse fried in oil or ghee'. The word Bhajji is derived from the Sanskrit word Bharjita meaning fried.
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History
An early variation of pakora appears in Sanskrit literature and Tamil Sangam literature but the recipe is not clearly provided as they only mention it as 'a round cake made of pulse fried in oil' and 'crispy fried vegetables' which were served as part of the meals. Early known recipes come from Manasollasa (1130 CE) cookbook which mentions "Parika" (pakoda) and the method of preparing it with vegetables and gram flour. Lokopakara (1025 CE) cookbook also mentions unique pakora recipe where gram flour is pressed into fish-shaped moulds and fried in mustard oil.
Preparation
Pakoras are made by coating ingredients, usually vegetables, in a spiced batter, and then deep frying them. Common varieties of pakora use onion, masoor dal (lentil), suji (semolina), chicken, arbi root and leaves, eggplant, potato, chili pepper, spinach, paneer, cauliflower, mint, plantain or baby corn.
The batter is most commonly made with gram flour or a mixture of gram flour and rice flour but variants can use other flours, such as buckwheat flour. The spices used in the batter are up to the cook and may be chosen due to local tradition or availability; often these include fresh and dried spices such as chilli, fenugreek, ginger, cardamom, turmeric and coriander.
Serving
Pakoras are eaten as a snack or appetiser, often accompanied by chutney or raita. They are also offered with masala chai to guests at Indian wedding ceremonies.
Regional names
A gram-flour fritter is known in Tamil Nadu and Sri Lanka as pakoda or bajji, in Gujarat as bhajia, in Maharashtra as bhaji, and in Andhra Pradesh/Telangana and Karnataka as bajji or pakodi. Pakodain Bengal (some parts) "Jhal pitha" may be interpreted in these states as deep-fried balls of finely chopped onions, green chilis, and spices mixed in gram flour. In Manipur, it is known as bora. In Bhojpuri region, it is known as bajka, chakka, tarua or pakauri.