Posted on
19 November 2015
by
Liz Robb
Indian Vegetable Fritters
Ingredients
150g besan [chickpea] flour
Half a teaspoon of hot chilli powder
Half a teaspoon of cayenne pepper
A quarter teaspoon of ground cumin
A quarter teaspoon of salt
A good sprinkling of black pepper
250g natural yoghurt
Half a small lemon
A splash of milk
A few florets of cauliflower
1 aubergine
1 onion
2 courgettes
1 red pepper
1 green pepper
Sunflower oil
<strong>For the yoghurt, cucumber and coriander dip:</strong>
6-7 tablespoons of natural yoghurt
A clove of garlic
A quarter of a cucumber
Half a small lemon
Salt and freshly milled black pepper
A handful of fresh coriander
Preparation
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1. Into a large bowl, sift the besan flour and add the chilli powder, cayenne pepper, cumin, salt and black pepper. Spoon in the yoghurt a little at a time, mixing well, then squeeze in the lemon juice and stir briskly to combine everything. Add a splash of milk if needed to bring the batter to the right consistency
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it needs to be thick enough to coat the vegetables but not too thick and stodgy. Chill the batter in the fridge, covered, for about 2 hours.
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2. Now make the dip. Tip the yoghurt into a small bowl and stir in the garlic, peeled and crushed, and the lemon juice. Peel the cucumber, scoop out and discard the seeds and chop it very finely then add it to the bowl. Chop the coriander finely and add that too. Season to taste with salt and pepper, stir well together then cover and leave to chill in the fridge.
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3. Slice the cauliflower fairly thinly and blanche quickly, then remove from the hot water with a slotted spoon and leave to cool. Deseed and slice the peppers into 6-7 pieces each. Slice the aubergine and courgette fairly thinly. Peel and slice the onion and separate into rings.
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4. Heat the sunflower oil in a large pan, deep enough to allow the fritters to float without catching on the bottom. When you think it is hot enough, test it
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dip a piece of vegetable in the batter to completely coat it, shaking gently to remove any excess, drop it carefully into the oil and cook for a minute or two on each side, lifting it out with a slotted spoon when cooked. It should be quite soft inside but crispy and golden on the outside
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adjust the heat of the oil if necessary, and check the batter seasoning. Cook the battered vegetables in batches, [the peppers may take a little longer that the softer vegetables], not too many at a time, blotting them on kitchen towel then keeping them warm until they are all ready.
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5. Sprinkle a little salt over the fritters and serve hot. Garnish the dip with some chopped coriander to serve with the fritters.
Cooks Note
Notes:
- You can use whatever vegetables you prefer; try thin slices of potato, sweet potato or carrot, or a few whole green beans.
- Adjust the spice mixture to suit you; you can use garam masala, turmeric, fennel or cumin seeds too, or even a little chopped fresh green chilli.
- Try accompanying the fritters with an Indian style chutney.
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