‘Pakora’ Attracts Peshawarites in Ramazan Iftar Parties

News Desk

Peshawar: Anthelme Brillat-Savarin, a famous German lawyer once said, “The discovery of a new dish does more for the happiness of mankind than the discovery of a star.”

In Peshawar, this phrase is turning out to be quite true.

Pakoras (fritters) of Peshawar are gaining more and more popularity among Peshawarites during this Ramazan.

Pakora — a spicy food — mostly prepared with potatoes, chickens, and onions are being sold like a hot cake ahead of iftar in Peshawar due to its delicious taste, cost-efficient varieties, and energy perspectives.

Like dates (Kajoor), Pakora (fritter) is also the most favorite item of people during iftar parties in the provincial capital where special shops were opened at historic Qissa Khwani,  Ghanta Ghar, Firdaus, Hasthnagri and others areas making a roaring business.

Different types of Fritter are being prepared such as potato pakora, palak pakora, onion pakora, Gobhi pakora, attracting people, senior citizens, children, women and youth as special iftar items.

The spicy dish is prepared from different ingredients such as onion; eggs, potatoes, chicken and cauliflower after these things are dipped in a Pakora made flour. “Pakora is my most favorite item during iftar and without it my iftar seems incomplete,” said Farzana, a lady busy shopping at Qissa Khwani.

“Personally, I like chicken fritter because of its batter taste and energy’s perspective,” she said, adding that demands of onion and potato Pakora has also increased in local markets including Hasthnagrai, Firdus, Cantonment, Board, Tehkal and Hayatabad.

These markets are flooded with fritter, Jalebi (funnel cake), Dahi Bhalay and Kachaloo stalls and shops where hectic buying is being witnessed when Iftar’s time becomes nearer.

Like other edible items, he said prices of Pakora have also increased this year as one kilogram is being sold at Rs 240-260 per kilogram against Rs180-220 last year that needed to be checked by the district administration.

“A few Pakora and dates are enough for me as it is a complete food,” Khan said. This popular snake of the subcontinent origin takes very less time in preparation and is served as a special iftar meal with any chutney or ketchup to people of all social classes.

It is also popular among people of both rural and urban areas and is exchanged by relatives and families as Iftar’s gifts. “I am going to my sister’s home to give her two kilograms of Pakora as a special Iftar’s gift,” said Zeeshan, a resident of Wapda Town Nowshera. “Exchange of food dishes among relatives increases love and warmth besides bringing people closer,” he said.

The shopkeepers said Pakora making was a profitable business as it does not require much investment.  The shopkeepers said its price has been slightly increased due to a hike in prices of related ingredients being used in preparation of this specific item.

On directives of Deputy Commissioner Shafiullah Khan, the district administration officials has accelerated crackdown against price hikers and hoarders besides making inspections of food shops in bazars to control prices of daily use commodities during the holy month and issued warnings to shopkeepers to avoid overcharging. APP/Urdu Point