Pakoras

Crisp vegetable snacks to go with that hot masala chai

Video: Ale Armijos

Serve as a Starter or a Snack

Makes 24 Pakoras

Preparation time: 30 - 40 minutes. Frying time: about 20 minutes

Suitable for: Vegetarians, Vegans (substitute the dairy yoghurt used in this recipe for soya yoghurt or omit yoghurt altogether and add lemon juice) and those on a gluten free diet.

Substitute the spinach for young ground elder when in season. Ground elder is recommended by herbalists as being helpful for sciatica, gout, inflammatory diseases and water retention.

Enjoy piping hot on their own or with a chutney as a starter to a meal or simply a snack. Leftovers can be used to make Dahi Pakora Curry (Yoghurt Curry) or make a double batch as I can guarantee there will be no left overs, they are simply the best, filling, moreish and comforting…

Photos: Standard Pakoras to the left with ground elder ones on the right

Ingredients:   

1 bunch of spring onions or two medium sized shallots, about 50g

100g new potatoes, peeled and diced finely

100g courgette, peeled and diced finely

100g carrots, grated

100g fresh spinach, washed and chopped (substitute the spinach for 50g of young ground elder leaves or beetroot leaves or any other green leaves such as kale)

2 - 3 chillies (green finger), chopped finely

1¼ teaspoons salt

¼ teaspoon haldi (turmeric)

 ½ teaspoon of garam masala

Juice of half lemon or a couple of dessert spoons of natural thick set yoghurt (dairy or soya)

2 cloves of garlic, crushed

220g gram flour, sifted

¼ teaspoon of baking powder

40ml water

Additional ingredients: 

Oil (rapeseed/vegetable) for deep fat frying. 

Method:

1. Place all the prepared vegetables, chillies, garlic, salt, turmeric, garam masala and the yoghurt or lemon juice in a large bowl.  Mix together.

2. Add the sifted gram flour, stir to coat the vegetables with the gram flour. Add enough water to make a thickish batter mixing with a spoon or your hand to combine everything together (should be of a ‘dropping’ consistency).

3. Heat the oil in a wok (only use enough oil to cover a third of the wok and use the back burner) on medium to high heat.  To test when hot enough, drop a very small amount of the mixture into the hot oil, it should rise within a second or two

4. Just before frying the pakoras add the baking powder and incorporate into the mixture. 

5. Taking a dessert spoon, gently drop a heaped dessert spoon of the vegetable batter, one at a time into the hot oil. Fry in batches according to the the size of your wok ensuring there is sufficient room to turn the pakoras over in the oil.

6. Fry on medium to high heat.  When the pakoras rise in the oil, turn them over.  Continue turning them over every so often until they are golden brown in colour on both sides.

7. Drain, remove from the oil and place on absorbent kitchen paper.

8. Repeat the process from No. 5 above until all the pakora batter has been used.