 A Haggis pakora served in aKirkcudbright hotel restaurant, September 2013 | |
| Course | Hors d'oeuvre orsnack |
|---|---|
| Place of origin | Scotland |
| Region or state | Glasgow |
| Associatedcuisine | Scottish,South Asian |
| Serving temperature | Hot |
| Main ingredients | Sheep'sheart, liver and lungs,onion,oatmeal,suet,yogurt,gram flour, spices |
| Variations | Vegetarian haggis pakora |
| 159[a] kcal (670 kJ) | |
Haggis pakora is aScottishsnack food that combines traditional Scottishhaggis ingredients with the spices, batter and preparation method of Indian and Pakistanipakoras.[2][3] It has become a popular food in Indian and Pakistani restaurants in Scotland, and is also available in prepared form in supermarkets.
Haggis pakora has been described as a "highly improbable Indo-Caledonian alliance making use of the Scots' most potent culinary weapons: sheep pluck (heart, liver and lungs) and deep-fat frying."[4] It has more fondly been called "an inspired example of Indo-Gael fusion".[5] Haggis pakoras are just one of the many haggisfusion foods that have arisen in recent years. Others include haggissamosas, haggis spring rolls, haggis lasagna and haggis quesadillas.[6][b] Often these use vegetarian haggis rather than the traditional haggis made from a sheep's stomach stuffed with the chopped up lung, heart and liver of the sheep mixed with oatmeal.[6]
The dish appears to have been the creation of theSikh community during a ScottishMelā held at theSEC in 1992–93, where, with collaboration with the Exec. Chef at the time Bill McMeekin, he was asked for ideas on how to combine Scottish produce and Indian culinary influences. During some practical experiments, it was found that haggis could be used in the same way as other pakora ingredients. Haggis pakoras have become popular appetizers in Indian restaurants in Scotland, where they appeal to what English food writerFelicity Cloake described as "the Scottish predilection for deep-frying anything that will stay still long enough to be dunked in batter".[8] In 2013, it was reported that aGreenock meat products company had launched prepared haggis pakoras. The product had won the Best Innovative Product prize at the BPEX[c] Foodservice Awards 2013.[10] The Scottish celebrity chefTony Singh served haggis pakora at a pop-up restaurant during the 2015Edinburgh Festival.[11]
The haggis is cooked in its skin in the normal way. The skin is discarded and the contents (meat, oats, etc.) broken up with a fork.[12]The mixture may be spiced withginger,cumin seeds,coriander seeds,turmeric andgaram masala.[2]A thick batter is made ofgram flour,chili powder,cumin, salt,yogurt andlemon juice.The meat is shaped into balls, coated with the batter and then deep fried in oil.[12]The pakora is fried for 3–4 minutes, and is ready when the batter is crisp and golden.[3]
Haggis pakoras may be served with a dipping sauce made of choppedtomatoes,ketchup,cayenne,paprika,chili sauce, lemon juice andbeef stock.[12]They may also be served with a creamy yogurt sauce.[13]Haggis pakoras may also be made from vegetarian haggis, and may be served with mango chutney in place of the dipping sauce.[8]Another variant places vegetarian haggis inside mushroom caps, which are then battered and fried as before.[6]
