Tag: #ramadanrecipes

My mixed Pakoras
Alliyah Dawud
May 7, 2019

My Awesome Pakoras!

Who doesn’t love some Pakoras with a cup of Tea (actually Chai) right?

Here are my favourite Pakoras using my Awesome Pakora mix (check out yesterdays post for the recipe). Note that I have added a few tweaks that I think enhance the recipe.

This post is more of a ‘tutorial’ or suggestion piece (just in case you are looking for exact ingredients).

I love my Pakoras with my quick and easy Masala Chai.

For some extra flavour you can sprinkle Chaat Masala over the cooked Pakoras.

Don’t forget the Chutneys and dipping sauces.

To make the mixed Pakoras here’s what you will need:

Cauliflower Pakoras
I used 250 grams of frozen cauliflower boiled until cooked but not OVER cooked.

I then used my Pakora Mix and add 1 TSP of ground ginger, and 1 tsp of dried fenugreek leaves to the mix.

Make the Pakora dipping mix and dip in the cauliflower and deep fry until golden brown.

Aubergine Pakoras

You’ll need one firm Aubergine sliced thinly.

Make up the Pakora dipping mix, dip and deep fry until golden brown.

Egg Pakoras

Now don’t write off the idea of the humble egg when it comes to Pakoras.

Hard boil a couple of eggs, cool and peel. Cut in half and dip into the Pakora dipping mix. Deep fry gently and drain well.

Pre-boiled Potato Pakoras

One of my childhood favourites is the humble yet gracious Alu Pakora.

To make these babies boil 2 whole medium potatoes with their skin on. Once boiled and cooled completely peel off the skin and cut the potatoes into rounds (about the thickness of a pound).

Make the Pakora dipping mix and add 1 TSP coriander leaves finely chopped, dip in the potatoes and deep fry until golden brown.

Sprinkle with some chaat masala. Enjoy.

How do you take your Pakoras? Drop your comments and feedback below.

Alliyahs awesome (bulk) Pakora Mix
Alliyah Dawud
May 6, 2019

My bulk Pakora mix

Ramadan Kareem by lovely folk!

For many Asians Pakoras are an essential foodie item on the Ramadan schedule. I’ll admit that as a child I associated these golden nuggets of yumminess with the holy month.

This Ramadan I will be posting recipes I find easy, economical and a bit different to the standard Ramadan feasts we are so used to. And as someone who tries to make healthy eating a part of family life I want to provide recipes I use at home and have tweaked to make them slightly better than the mainstream counterparts. I also like the idea of ‘freestyling’ in the kitchen so I sometimes don’t have exact weights for ingredients just like the average Mama won’t whilst cooking to feed her brood.

I’ll also post shorter articles during the blessed month too. Feel free as always to share the blog posts with your nearest, dearest and folk who love food!

Nowadays I enjoy Pakoras when I want however I know many that spend hours preparing the gram flour mix during the month of Ramadan.

I’m here to suggest that you mix it all in bulk…and cut your work load. Literally!

I make a big batch of Pakora mix to save time and also money. Pre-mixed boxes work out more expensive. The only real convenience they bring to the kitchen is the fact all the spices have been added. That’s it.

Here is my recipe for my Pakora Mix. I’ve made up batches and used them over 2 months so I’ve had no problems at all. I’ve listed the spices I use as standard.

I don’t actually add ‘chili’ in the form of Chili Powder until I’m making a batch of Pakoras. This works for me as I don’t give my daughters lots of chili.

If you are avoiding salt then by all means adjust the recipe to reflect that.

To make a huge batch of Alliyahs Pakora Mix you will need:

4 cups of Gram Flour (that’s chickpea flour aka Basan) sifted into a large bowl
1 TBSP baking powder-sifted into the bowl
2 TBSP salt
1 TBSP dried coriander leaves (heaped)
2 TBSP coriander powder (heaped)
2 TBSP cumin powder (heaped)
2 TBSP carom seeds-whole (heaped)
1 TBSP garam masala powder (heaped)

1) If you haven’t already done it sift the basan (gram flour) and baking powder into a large bowl.
2) Add the spices and stir to eventually distribute the ingredients.
3) Decant the mix into a airtight container.
Your mix is ready to use.

I usually make a test batch of Pakoras so I know if I need to add more spices.

NOTE: to make the Pakora mixture I add 2 TBSP of coriander leaves (finely chopped up) to the mixture.

To use the mix:
There’s two ways I use this mix.

1) Make a thick paste (it should coat the back of a wooden spoon) and dip in your favourite vegetables and deep fry until golden brown.

2) Cut up your vegetables and add 3 tablespoons of the mix. Add a little water and mix to coat the vegetables and create a sticky mix. If the mixture is too gloopy add a bit of water. If you cannot see the Pakora mix and the vegetables are not coated add more mix. It’s a bit of trial and error depending on how much vegetables you are using.

Don’t forget to add some chili powder if you need something a bit more spicy.

Enjoy your Pakoras! What do you usually serve with yours? Drop us a message below.