Vegetable Pakoras and Bread Pakoras with Chai Tea

Description

Vegetable Pakora’s

Vegetable pakora is a popular South Asian snack—deep-fried, crispy fritters made by coating a medley of mixed vegetables in a seasoned, gluten-free chickpea flour (gram flour) batter. They are a staple street food in India and Pakistan, often served hot with chutneys during tea time or rainy weather.

• Appearance and Texture: Pakoras have a craggy, irregular, and “spiky” appearance. They are extremely crunchy on the outside while remaining soft and tender on the inside.
• Ingredients: The base consists of finely sliced or shredded vegetables, most commonly onions, potatoes, spinach and or cauliflower. The batter is made from gram flour (besan), which is derived from chickpeas.
• Flavor Profile: They are savory, nutty, and spiced with ingredients like green chili, ginger, cumin, (ajwain), turmeric, and coriander. Many recipes use rice flour or cornstarch in the batter to make it crunchy.

• Healthier Options: While traditionally deep-fried, they can be made by shallow frying, air-frying, or baking.

Bread Pakora

Bread pakora is an Indian fried snack (pakora or fritter).  A common street food is made from bread slices, chickpea flour, and spices among other ingredients.

The snack is prepared by dipping triangular bread slices in a spicy gram flour batter and frying them. Stuffing such as mashed potatoes is common. It can be deep-fried or pan fried, and is served with chutneys.

• Taste and Texture: It has a crunchy, savory exterior and a soft, flavorful inside.
• Core Ingredients: White or brown bread, chickpea flour (besan), water, and spices like carom seeds (ajwain), red chili powder, turmeric, and asafoetida (hing it’s optional).
• Common Stuffing (Aloo Bread Pakora): A spiced, tangy mashed potato filling (often with green chili, coriander, and amchur/lemon juice) is sandwiched between two slices of bread.
• Variations:
  • Stuffed: The most common street-style version, often featuring potatoes, paneer (Indian cottage cheese), or cheese.
  • Plain (Bread pakora): Simply bread slices dipped in batter and fried, without any filling.
• Serving: Typically served hot with chutney (cilantro-mint or sweet tamarind) or tomato ketchup. It is a quintessential, comforting snack for rainy days and winter evenings, often paired with masala chai.

Indian Tea

Chai is a popular Indian tea that is made with black tea, milk, spices and sweetener or sugar. The term “chai” is actually the shortened version of the word “masala chai” which translates to “spiced tea” in Hindi.

Key Types & Flavors:

• Masala Chai: The iconic spiced tea, brewed with black tea, milk, sugar, and a blend of spices like ginger, cardamom, cinnamon, cloves, and black pepper; recipes vary by household.

Common Characteristics:

• Spices: Cardamom, cinnamon, ginger, black pepper, and cloves are staples in masala chai.
• Preparation: Often brewed with milk and sweetener or sugar, creating a rich, aromatic, and comforting drink.

In essence, Indian tea is a vast category, from the intensely spiced chai found in every home to single-origin black teas celebrated globally for their unique terroir and complex profiles.

Offering 1WS26: Tuesday, June 2 2026, 6:00pm to 9:00pm, Credo Christian High School 21846 52 Ave Langley

Instructor: Harpreet Brar

Harpreet is an experienced cook with strong expertise in preparing a wide variety of Indian dishes. She have been cooking from a young age, learning foundational techniques from her mother.  She have since helped prepare and teach cultural dishes within her community. Harpreet offers hands on cooking classes focused on practical techniques, flavour development, and confidence in the kitchen. Her classes are suitable for beginners and intermediate. Harpreet loves cooking and is ready to share with the ones who want to learn delicious, everyday meals. Below are some of the dishes that she will be teaching in her upcoming classes.