Onion and Potato Pakora (Pakistan)

Shahnaz grew up in Lahore, Pakistan and has always loved cooking. She learned to cook after getting married, when she had to plan meals for the family and she would enjoy trying to reproduce dishes she’d tried at restaurants.

Ramadan is a time when she feels very close to God. However, she laments that in Pakistan, it’s often all about the food: “people will eat all night long – they will eat so much that they won’t be able to bend down for prayers! Instead of losing weight, people will gain weight during the month. Part of the reason is that food in Pakistan is deep fried, such as samosas or pakoras”.

For Shahnaz, fasting doesn’t just imply not eating, but also watching what you say and praying a lot, as prayers are more likely to be answered during this time. “A popular belief is that the devil is chained during Ramadan and he can’t do any harm. So if you do something bad then you’re obviously doing it yourself and it’s not because you were enticed. And so people are generally trying their best to be good”.

Making the batter

“During Ramadan, people will get off work early – before Iftar the streets are very crowded with people making their way home. But the minute the sun sets, if you step outside, you will see the streets completely empty and quiet. You will hear the Adhan more clearly than at any other time of the year, it is absolutely beautiful. And then after iftar the streets are very calm and quiet and they become a little crazy again during suhoor as people go out and eat at restaurants”.

Pakistan being a very food-oriented society, Ramadan gives everyone an opportunity to be extravagant over food and celebrate around that. 

While pakoras are often associated with rainy days, “during Ramadan they are a must. People will either make them at home or get them from the bazaar. It’s crispy, deep fried, and people even get experimental and make them with green chilies or with eggplant. It’s a simple recipe but everyone has their own version”. Shahnaz likes to add yoghurt for example. Below find her recipe.

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Onion and Potato Pakora (Pakistan)

Serves: 10 (as snack)

Ingredients

1. 1 cup of chickpea flour

2. 1/2 - 1 cup water

3. 1-2 tablespoon yogurt

4. 1 large potato, thinly sliced

5. 1 large red onion, chopped

6. 1/2 teaspoon cumin seeds

7. Salt to taste

8. Red chili powder to taste

9. Vegetable oil to fry

Instructions

1. Mix flour with water, a couple of table spoons at a time, until it makes a batter (like a pancake batter).

2. Add spices and yogurt.

3. Reserve half and finely chopped onions

4. and other half with sliced potatoes and mix in together.

5. Deep fry a tablespoon of the batter until the fritter looks golden brown.

6. Serve with tamarid sauce or ketchup.

Notes

You can also make it with spinach or green chillies                                                                        

 The yoghurt is to make it milder some people also put baking soda