Pakora

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A plate of onion and potato pakoras

Pakora (Urdu: پکوڑا ) is an item in Indian cuisine also found in other South Asian countries created by taking two or three ingredients, such as onion, eggplant, potato, spinach, cauliflower, tomato or chili, 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).