Pakora

Ingredients for 4 servings:

• 350 g seasonal vegetables, cut into bite-sized pieces
• 220 g chickpea flour
• ¾ tsp cumin powder
• ¼ tsp cayenne pepper
• ½ tsp coriander powder
• ¾ tsp sweet paprika powder
• Salt
• 270 ml water, cold
• 1 liter vegetable oil for frying

Instructions

Working time approx. 40 minutes; Cooking/baking time approx. 10 minutes; Total time approx. 50 minutes

Vegetables in batter, Indian

Heat the oil in a pan until very hot. This will take a while, but be careful that the oil doesn’t start smoking! Meanwhile, prepare the vegetables and batter. When preparing the vegetables, make sure they are chopped very small and thinly, as they will only be fried and not pre-cooked. For the batter, put the chickpea flour in a bowl and mix in all the spices and salt. Slowly add the cold water and whisk until a smooth, thick batter forms. Pour the batter into a deep plate. Add a portion of the vegetables and toss them in the batter. Check if the oil is hot enough: if a drop of batter immediately rises to the surface with a sizzle, it’s hot enough. If this happens, reduce the heat to medium. Dip the vegetables in the batter and, using a fork, add them to the hot oil one at a time. Fry the pakoras for 7-9 minutes each, until golden brown and crispy. Remove and drain on kitchen paper. Serve immediately or keep warm for a short time in a preheated oven at 125°C.