Scotland Meets the Subcontinent

Haggis pakora sounds like it should be the punchline to a joke, but it is genuinely one of the most inspired things to come out of Scottish cooking in the past thirty years. The story goes back to the early 1990s, when members of the Sikh community were catering at the Scottish Mela held at the SEC in Glasgow. Working alongside the executive chef at the time, they started experimenting with how to combine Scottish produce and South Asian cooking methods. Someone had the bright idea of treating haggis the way you would any other pakora filling. It worked. Brilliantly.

From that one experiment, the dish spread across Scotland fast. Indian restaurants picked it up, chippies started running it as a special, and before long it was turning up as a ready meal in supermarkets. Celebrity chef Tony Singh MBE served it at a pop-up during the Edinburgh Festival in 2015, and it even won Best Innovative Product at the BPEX Foodservice Awards. Not bad for something that started as a bit of creative improvisation at a food festival.

Getting the Batter Right

The key to a good haggis pakora is the batter. Gram flour on its own gives you body and that slightly earthy flavour traditional pakoras are known for, but blending in a little rice flour is what gets you that really crisp, light coating. Without it, you risk something a bit thick and stodgy. The spice mix needs to complement the haggis rather than fight with it: haggis already brings pepper and savouriness, so you want spices that add warmth and depth without masking what makes haggis special. Cumin, coriander, a pinch of turmeric for colour, and a proper hit of chilli powder does the job.

The haggis itself should be cooked before you batter it. Cook the whole haggis according to the packet instructions, let it cool a little so you can handle it, then shape it into rounds roughly the size of a golf ball. Chilling the shaped pieces in the fridge for twenty minutes before battering helps them hold together in the hot oil. Make sure your oil is up to temperature before you start frying: 170-180°C is ideal. Too cool and the batter absorbs oil and goes greasy; too hot and the outside burns before the centre has warmed through.

How to Serve Them

A whisky and cream dipping sauce is the classic pairing and it works a treat: a splash of Scotch whisky cooked down with a little double cream, a squeeze of lemon, and a pinch of salt. If you want something sharper, a spiced tomato chutney cuts through the richness nicely, or just go with mango chutney and be done with it. These are brilliant as a Burns Night starter, a Hogmanay snack, or just something to put out when people come round. They also work with vegetarian haggis if you prefer, which tends to hold together even better during frying.

Ingredients

• 450g haggis (a standard MacSween's or similar), cooked according to packet instructions and cooled slightly
• 120g gram flour (chickpea flour)
• 30g rice flour
• 1 tsp cumin powder
• 1 tsp ground coriander
• 1/2 tsp turmeric
• 1 tsp chilli powder (adjust to taste)
• 1/2 tsp garam masala
• 1 tsp fine salt, plus extra for seasoning
• 150ml cold water (approximately)
• 1 litre vegetable or sunflower oil, for deep frying
• For the whisky cream dipping sauce:
• 1 tbsp butter
• 1 small shallot, finely diced
• 50ml Scotch whisky
• 100ml double cream
• Squeeze of lemon juice
• Salt and white pepper to taste

Method

1. Cook the haggis according to the packet instructions. Most whole haggis need to be simmered in water for around 45 minutes to an hour. Once cooked, remove from the water, cut open the casing, and allow it to cool for 10-15 minutes until you can handle it comfortably.
2. Divide the haggis into roughly 14-16 equal portions and roll each one into a ball or disc shape, roughly the size of a golf ball. Place them on a tray lined with baking parchment and refrigerate for at least 20 minutes. This helps them firm up so they hold together in the hot oil.
   
3. In a large bowl, whisk together the gram flour, rice flour, cumin, ground coriander, turmeric, chilli powder, garam masala, and salt. Gradually pour in the cold water, stirring continuously, until you have a smooth, thick batter that coats the back of a spoon. It should be thick enough to cling to the haggis pieces without running off. Set aside.
   
4. Pour the oil into a deep, heavy-based saucepan until it is at least 6-7cm deep. Heat over a medium-high heat until it reaches 175°C. Use a kitchen thermometer if you have one. If you don't, drop a small blob of batter into the oil: it should sizzle and rise to the surface within a couple of seconds.
5. Working in batches of 3-4 at a time, dip each chilled haggis piece into the batter, turning to coat it fully, then lower gently into the hot oil using a slotted spoon. Fry for 2-3 minutes, turning once, until deep golden brown all over. Do not overcrowd the pan or the temperature will drop and the batter will turn greasy.
   
6. Lift the cooked pakoras out with a slotted spoon and drain on a plate lined with kitchen paper. Season with a pinch of salt while still hot. Keep warm in a low oven (around 100°C) while you fry the remaining batches.
7. To make the whisky cream sauce, melt the butter in a small saucepan over a medium heat. Add the shallot and cook gently for 3-4 minutes until soft and translucent. Pour in the whisky and let it bubble for 1 minute, then add the double cream. Simmer for 2-3 minutes, stirring, until slightly thickened. Season with lemon juice, salt, and white pepper. Serve alongside the hot pakoras.