If there is one thing an iftari is incomplete without, it’s pakoras. No matter how hot the weather gets, the Iftari table just isn’t the same without the sight of these crispy, golden brown morsels of fried batter.

I remember the time I used to stand for an hour to make a big dish of pakoras for my family at EACH AND EVERY IFTAR! It was worth it though, the dish would vanish in minutes.

Now there are countless ways in which we Pakistanis like to make our pakoras. We can add almost anything to the mix, be it chicken, vegetables (even fruits believe it or not – some people like apple pakoras !).

We know it’s possible to get bored of the usual style of making pakoras day after day. That’s why we decided to add some spice to your usual pakora platter; here are four ways of making pakoras that you’re sure to fall in love with:

 

Making the Batter

First, here’s how to prepare the batter for the pakoras:

Ingredients:

  • Ground Flour
  • Water
  • Red Chili Flakes
  • Salt
  • Anar Daana
  • Coriander Powder

Instruction:

Mix ingredients into a batter to achieve a medium thickness to coat the pakoras in

 

 

Now for the recipes for the four styles of pakoras:

 

1. Mirch Indulgence

Ingredients:

  • Green Chilies (large, deflaked and cut through the middle)
  • Bologna
  • Cheddar Cheese (cut into pieces)

Instructions:

  1. Stuff chilies with Bologna and cheddar
  2. Coat with batter
  3. Fry

 

2. Revamped Anda Pakoras

Ingredients:

  • Hard Boiled Eggs
  • Mayonnaise
  • Red Chili Flakes
  • Oregano

Instructions:

  1. Cut boiled eggs in half
  2. Scoop out egg yolks
  3. Add oregano, red chili flakes and mayonnaise to the egg yolks and mix to make the stuffing
  4. Stuff the eggs with the mayonnaise and eggyolk stuffing
  5. Roll in pakora batter
  6. Fry

 

3. Royal Pakoras

Ingredients:

  • Spinach
  • Cottage Cheese

Instructions:

  1. Sandwich some spinach in two pieces of cottage cheese
  2. Roll in batter
  3. Fry till golden brown

 

4. Crunchy Murree Style Pakoras

Ingredients:

  • Onions (thinly cut)
  • Potatoes (shredded)
  • Cabbage (shredded)
  • Spinach (shredded)

Instructions:

  1. Mix all the vegetables
  2. Dip in batter
  3. Fry

 

How to Serve

Sprinkle on some chaat masala and enjoy it with your favorite chutney. We hope you like these variations to your pakora platter this Ramazan. They’re sure to be crowd pleasers at all your iftars.

Happy Cooking!

Madiha Hamid

Chefling-in-Chief