Pirukad

Pirukad is a small, savory fried snack described in regional cookbooks and street-food guides as a stuffed pastry or fritter. There is no single canonical recipe, and the dish varies by region and vendor. In many versions, a thin dough encloses a spiced filling, the pocket is sealed, and the item is deep-fried until crisp and golden.

Typical fillings include mashed potatoes with peas, spiced lentil mixtures, or minced meat with onions and garlic. The dough may be made from all-purpose flour, chickpea flour, or a mixture that may include semolina or rice flour. Some recipes use a yeasted dough, others rely on unleavened dough. Fillings are seasoned with cumin, coriander, chili, turmeric, and garam masala, with regional preferences for heat and herbs.

Pirukad shapes range from half-moon to rectangular to finger-length prisms. They are commonly sold as street food and served with chutneys or yogurt-based sauces, such as tamarind, mint, or coriander-mint chutney, and sometimes with fried chili or pickle on the side. In culinary literature, pirukad is often grouped with other fried snacks such as pakora and samosa, though some cooks treat it as a distinct category within regional fry breads and pastries.

The origins of the name and dish are not well documented, but pirukad appears in multiple linguistic and culinary traditions across the Indian subcontinent and its diaspora, reflecting a broader family of stuffed fried snacks. See also: pakora, samosa, kachori.