Pholourie

Pholourie with mango, coconut and tamarind chutneys
Alternative names	Phulourie, phoulourie, Phulauri
Type	Snack
Place of origin	India, Trinidad and Tobago, Guyana, Suriname
Associated cuisine	Trinidad and Tobago cuisine, Guyanese cuisine, Surinamese cuisine
Serving temperature	Warm
Main ingredients	Flour and split pea powder
Variations	Sahlourie (Saheena Pholourie)
Similar dishes	Pakora

Pholourie (Pronunciation^ⓘ), also spelled phulourie or phoulourie, is a snack food of Indo-Caribbean origin that is commonly eaten in Trinidad and Tobago, Guyana, Suriname and other parts of the Caribbean. It consists of fried, spiced split pea and flour dough balls that are served with a chutney.

Overview

The dough is made up of flour, ground split peas, water, and spices. Depending on the recipe, bandhaniya, garlic, pepper, turmeric, onions and/or cumin are used. Then dough balls the size of golf balls are formed and fried afterwards. The fried balls are usually served with a chutney or sour to dip them in, usually tamarind or mango. They are also added to karhi.

Pholourie is a popular street food in Guyana and Trinidad and Tobago and widely available from food carts and takeaways. It is famous in Debe. The dish was brought to Guyana, Trinidad and Tobago, and Suriname by migrants from India.^[1][2] These Indians were recruited as indentured laborers after slavery had been abolished in the 19th century, and they brought their local recipes with them which they altered according to ingredients available in their new home. Over the decades, local taste slowly altered, leading to the Indian-based part of the Caribbean cuisine known today.^[3] Pholourie is widely connected to the Phagwah festival celebrated by Hindus.^[4]

In popular culture

One of Sundar Popo's most famous songs is "Pholourie Bina Chutney Kaise Bani" (transl. How can you have pholourie without the chutney?).