Pakodas are the go-to appetisers at every desi gathering. Paneer pakodas, aloo pakodas, gobhi pakodas, onion pakodas, or palak pakodas - there are too many options. But then have you ever come across pakodas made of wood? It might sound strange, but a street food vendor in Kashmir has garnered the internet's attention for selling pakodas that seemingly resemble wooden sticks. An Instagram video shows the process of making these unique pakodas. While some viewers clarified that they are made using lotus stems, others humorously questioned, "Or kuch bechane ko nhi mila? [Couldn't find anything else to sell?] "
In a viral video, a food vlogger showed a street stall in Kashmir featuring "lakdi pakodas". The vendor prepared this unique delicacy by coating small, bite-sized lotus stems with a besan (gram flour) batter. The coated sticks were then deep-fried in a large kadhai filled with hot oil. After stirring the pakodas to perfection, the vendor lifted them out using a strainer. He clarified that the sticks were lotus stems and and he presented the pakodas with a sprinkling of masalas, serving them alongside a steaming cup of chai. "Lakdi ke pakode [Stick pakodas]," the caption of the video read.
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The video has already crossed over one million views on Instagram. The viewers, however, were offended, objecting to the vlogger's use of the term "stick" and insisted that these were called "lotus stem fritters" instead.
One user wrote, "Let me explain ! It's lotus stem fritters (kamal kakdi ke pakode), tbh i love them almost every other person in Kashmir likes them because when it's freshly made it's super yum but yeah when it ain't fresh its hard to chew so don't insult it if you haven't tried the authentic one."
Someone else wrote, "Bro this is not lakdi [stick] this is lotus stem."
"This is what happens when everyone has free access to internet. Even uneducated people become so called bloggers. Please open the books of nursery class and read the chapter vegetables, you will find lotus stem there," another user rudely added.
If you're interested in preparing lotus stem gritters at home, you can find our recipe here.