The pakora has long had a knack for bringing people together, around family tables, at weddings, community gatherings and, inevitably, beside a bowl of chutney.
Now, the humble South Asian snack has earned its place in the record books.
More than 250 people gathered at The Old Library in Birmingham last month to take part in an unusual challenge organised by BBC Asian Network Breakfast with Nikita Kanda: creating the world’s longest relay of people dunking pakoras.
The attempt, held on 23 September, was officially verified by Guinness World Records adjudicator Will Munford, securing a new title for the BBC station and everyone who took part.
Participants formed a continuous single-file line, with each person required to dunk a pakora into the next participant’s chutney before eating it and passing the challenge along.
It may have sounded simple, but with a Guinness World Records title at stake, the relay had to meet the official requirements before the achievement could be confirmed.
Breakfast presenter Nikita Kanda enlisted Asian Network listeners alongside personalities from across broadcasting, entertainment and sport.
Among those joining the record attempt were BBC Radio 2 presenter OJ Borg, Coronation Street star Ellie Leach, polar explorer and fellow world record holder Preet Chandi, and comedian Lindsey Santoro.
The attempt was broadcast live on BBC Asian Network, with the moment the record was confirmed captured during Jaz Singh’s programme.
For Kanda, the challenge fulfilled a childhood ambition, albeit in a rather more unconventional way than she might once have imagined.
“Setting a Guinness World Records title is something I’ve secretly wanted to do since I was a kid, growing up reading the Guinness World Records books,” she said.
“To now have the chance to set a brand-new record alongside the Asian Network listeners is very special.
“Pass the Pakora felt like the perfect way to bring the whole community together using something we all love, FOOD! And we can put world record holders on our CVs so it’s a win win!”
The light-hearted challenge also carried a wider community purpose.
Alongside the record attempt, Asian Network staged its Mix, Meet and Mentor event, giving young people aged between 18 and 34 the opportunity to meet DJs, presenters and production staff and seek advice about careers in radio, audio and music.
Ahmed Hussain, Head of BBC Asian Network, said the achievement demonstrated how food and culture could create a shared experience beyond the record itself.
“Yes, we’ve broken a world record, but more importantly we’ve brought people together,” he said.
“From the communities who took part, to the audiences who supported us along the way, this has been a celebration of the things that connect us most: food, music and culture.”
Guinness World Records adjudicator Will Munford said mass participation attempts were particularly significant because so many people had to work together towards the same goal.
“It was a brilliant example of what we mean by ‘Be Part of It’ everyone had a role to play in making the record happen,” he said.
For a station built around British Asian music, conversation and culture, perhaps there was something fitting about the choice of challenge.
Food remains one of the most recognisable ways in which South Asian heritage is shared across generations and communities in Britain – and in Birmingham, for one afternoon at least, a line of people, a lot of chutney and more than 250 pakoras turned that cultural connection into a world record.
