Pakora

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'.

Some divergence of transliteration may be noted in the third consonant in the word. The sound is a hard 'da' in the Telugu language and the 'ra' sound would be an incorrect pronunciation. The sound is the retroflex flap, which is written in Hindi with the Devanagari letter ड़, and in Urdu with letter ڑ.

However, in the International Alphabet of Sanskrit Transliteration, the Hindi letter ड़ is transliterated as , popular or non-standard transliterations of Hindi use for this sound, because etymologically, it derives from ड. The occurrence of this consonant in the word pakora has given rise to two common alternative spellings in English: pakoda, which reflects its etymology, and pakora, which reflects its phonology.

Names

In Maharashtra it is known as bhaji, in Andhra Pradesh/Telangana and Karnataka, such preparations are known as bajji rather than pakora. Usually, the name of the vegetable that is deep-fried is prefixed to bajji. For instance, potato bajji is sliced potato wrapped in batter and deep-fried. In these Indian states, pakoda is taken to mean a mix of finely chopped onions, green chilis, and spices mixed in gram flour. This is then rolled into small balls or sprinkled straight in hot oil and deep-fried. Pakodas are very crisp on the outside and medium soft to crisp inside. There is a variety that is softer overall, usually termed media pakoda in restaurants, that is made from any other ingredient, such as potatoes.

Preparation

Pakoras are created by choosing one or two main ingredients, such as onion, eggplant, potato, spinach, plantain, paneer, cauliflower, tomato, or chili pepper. They are also occasionally prepared with bread, buckwheat, groundnut, fish, or chicken. They are dipped in a batter made from gram flour (chickpea / garbanzo bean 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 as onion bajji. A variation of pakora made from gram flour, fenugreek leaves and salt is called "Fulavda", popular preparation of "bhajiya" in Gujarat. Another variation is made with 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 a snack or appetiser. They are also often served with masala chai to guests arriving to attend Indian wedding ceremonies, and are usually complemented with tamarind, chutney or raita. In the United Kingdom, pakoras are popular as a fast-food snack, available in restaurants that serve cuisines from the Indian subcontinent.