Recreate a Scottish takeaway classic with this Glasgow takeaway style vegetable pakora recipe. Fry up one batch, or several and enjoy with pink pakora sauce.
Pakora is a delicious crispy snack that is popular across the whole of the Indian subcontinent. Although its origin isn’t certain, it’s often said to have come from Gujarat in Western India, where vegetable pakoras are widely enjoyed as a tea time snack. Pakora comes in many forms and the vegetables and spices used can vary greatly depending on taste and regional variations. Eaten alongside flavourful chutneys, it’s a spicy snack and street food and you’ll find versions of it all over the world.
Glasgow vegetable pakora
Pakora is a takeaway classic in Scotland, and so you’ll find it in every Indian restaurant, as well as on most kebab shop menus. Glasgow pakora is typically made up of finely sliced or chopped vegetables, and can be on the spicier side. An essential part of the Glasgow pakora experience is pink pakora sauce. This smooth sauce helps to cool down spicy pakora, as well as being deliciously tangy.
Ingredients For Vegetable Pakora
This recipe uses a mix of vegetables commonly found in Glasgow pakora. You could also use carrot, cauliflower, peas etc.
- Vegetables: Onions, Potatoes and Spinach
- Aromatics: Garlic, Ginger, Green Chilli (optional), Fresh Coriander
- Spices, Dried Herbs, Seasoning and Lemon Juice: Cumin, Coriander, Garam Masala, Turmeric, Chilli Powder, Methi Leaves, Sea Salt, Lemon Juice
- Other Ingredients: Gram Flour, Plain Flour, Water, Oil For Deep Frying
How To Make Glasgow Takeaway Style Vegetable Pakora
To make takeaway style vegetable pakora, the vegetables are finely chopped and combined with spices and salt and set aside to rest. During this time, the salt brings out water from the vegetables, which means less water is required later. This makes the pakoras more flavourful.
Step 1: Make Pakora Mix
In a large bowl, add 2 large onions, finely sliced, 1 medium potato, finely chopped, 1 small handful fresh spinach leaves, roughly chopped, 1 small handful fresh coriander leaves and stalks, roughly chopped, 1/4 teaspoon cumin seeds, 1/4 teaspoon cumin powder, 1/4 teaspoon coriander seeds, 1/4 teaspoon coriander powder, 1/2 teaspoon garam masala, 1/4 teaspoon turmeric, 1/4 teaspoon mild red chilli powder, 1/2 teaspoon dried fenugreek leaves, 1 teaspoon garlic ginger paste, 1/4 teaspoon sea salt and 2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice. Mix well and set aside for 1 hour. During this time, the salt will draw water from the vegetables, reducing the amount of added water required; this increases the flavour of the finished pakoras.
2: Fry Pakora
After pakora mix has rested for 1 hour, heat oil for deep frying to 170C/340F. If using a fryer with a basket, remove the basket before heating the oil to prevent pakoras from sticking to the basket. Add 100g gram flour and 3-4 tablespoons plain flour to prepared pakora mix, then slowly add 2-3 tablespoons water. Mix well and add a little more water or flour as necessary until pakora mix has a slightly thick consistency and falls slowly off of the back of a spoon.
Carefully drop spoonfuls of vegetable pakora mix into the hot oil and fry pakoras in batches for 3-4 minutes, turning occasionally until golden and crisp. Using a slotted spoon, lift pakoras from the oil and transfer to a plate. Leave to stand for 5 minutes, or if you prefer at this stage set aside to cool completely, ready to fry again when you choose.
3: Finish & Serve Vegetable Pakora
To finish vegetable pakora, heat oil for deep frying to 180C/350F. Carefully drop the pakoras into hot oil and fry for 2 minutes until hot and crunchy. Use a slotted spoon to remove pakoras from the oil, drain off any excess and arrange pakoras on a serving plate. Garnish with thinly sliced onion and fresh coriander and serve with pink pakora sauce and a lemon wedge.
Scottish Takeaway Style Vegetable Pakora Recipe Tips
Add flour just before frying pakora: Adding flour and letting the mix sit for too long can result it in becoming thin and requiring more flour, resulting in stodgy pakora. Add the flour when your oil is almost hot enough to start frying the pakoras so that you don’t need to add any more than is needed.
Use frozen chips for pakora: For ease, you can use a handful of frozen chips instead of potato in this recipe. Just allow the chips to defrost briefly, chop into small pieces and add to the mix.
Make ahead: After vegetable pakora has been fried once, set aside to cool completely and store in the fridge for up to 2 days or in the freezer for up to 1 month. Finish the pakora by frying again from frozen when you choose. It will keep well for up to 2 days and can be finished again in hot oil as per the recipe, or heated in a 200C oven or air fryer for 8-10 minutes until piping hot.
I hope you’ll try this vegetable pakora recipe. If you do, let me know in the comments below how it went!
Equipment
- 1 Deep Fryer
Ingredients
Make The Pakora Mix
- 2 large onions, finely sliced
- 1 medium potato, finely chopped
- 1 small handful fresh spinach leaves, roughly chopped
- 1 small handful fresh coriander leaves and stalks, roughly chopped
- 1/4 teaspoon cumin seeds
- 1/4 teaspoon cumin powder
- 1/4 teaspoon coriander seeds
- 1/4 teaspoon coriander powder
- 1/2 teaspoon garam masala
- 1/4 teaspoon turmeric
- 1/4 teaspoon mild red chilli powder
- 1/2 teaspoon dried fenugreek leaves (methi)
- 1 teaspoon garlic ginger paste
- 1/4 teaspoon sea salt
- 2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice or lemon dressing
- oil for deep frying
- 100g gram flour
- 3-4 tablespoons plain flour
- 2-3 tablespoons water
- 1/2 small onion, finely sliced
- 1 small handful fresh coriander leaves, roughly chopped
Instructions
- In a large bowl, add 2 large onions, finely sliced, 1 medium potato, finely chopped, 1 small handful fresh spinach leaves, roughly chopped, 1 small handful fresh coriander leaves and stalks, roughly chopped, 1/4 teaspoon cumin seeds, 1/4 teaspoon cumin powder, 1/4 teaspoon coriander seeds, 1/4 teaspoon coriander powder, 1/2 teaspoon garam masala, 1/4 teaspoon turmeric, 1/4 teaspoon mild red chilli powder, 1/2 teaspoon dried fenugreek leaves, 1 teaspoon garlic ginger paste, 1/4 teaspoon sea salt and 2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice. Mix well and set aside for 1 hour. During this time, the salt will draw water from the vegetables, reducing the amount of added water required; this increases the flavour of the finished pakoras.
- After pakora mix has rested for 1 hour, heat oil for deep frying to 170C/340F. If using a fryer with a basket, remove the basket before heating the oil to prevent pakoras from sticking to the basket. Add 100g gram flour and 3-4 tablespoons plain flour to prepared pakora mix, then slowly add 2-3 tablespoons water. Mix well and add a little more water or flour as necessary until pakora mix has a slightly thick consistency and falls slowly off of the back of a spoon.Carefully drop spoonfuls of vegetable pakora mix into the hot oil and fry pakoras in batches for 3-4 minutes, turning occasionally until golden and crisp. Using a slotted spoon, lift pakoras from the oil and transfer to a plate. Leave to stand for 5 minutes, or if you prefer at this stage set aside to cool completely, ready to fry again when you choose.
- To finish vegetable pakoras, heat oil for deep frying to 180C/350F. Carefully drop vegetable pakoras into hot oil and fry for 2 minutes until hot and crunchy. Use a slotted spoon to remove pakoras from the oil, drain off any excess and arrange pakoras on a serving plate. Garnish with 1/2 small onion, finely sliced and 1 small handful fresh coriander leaves, roughly chopped and serve with pink pakora sauce and a lemon wedge.
Notes
Do you like this Glasgow takeaway style vegetable pakora recipe? If so, buying a copy of my book might appeal to you! In The Indian Takeaway Secret you can find a host of restaurant and takeaway style recipes that you can make at home. You’ll learn how to make mushroom pakora, spiced onions, tandoori chicken, chapatis and more! You can buy The Indian Takeaway Secret in paperback or kindle form here.
