Vegetable Pakoras With Mint And Cilantro Chutney Recipes

VEGETABLE PAKORAS WITH MINT AND CILANTRO CHUTNEY

Steps:

• Combine the flour, oil, spices, salt, water and peppers in a blender and blend on high for 4-5 minutes (this is important because it will incorporate air to make the batter fluffy). Set aside to rest in a warm place.
• Pierce the sweet potato with a fork and place it in the microwave for 4 minutes (this will soften it a bit before frying). Allow to cool, then peel and cut into 1/2 inch cubes. Chop the cauliflower and onion.
• In a large bowl, combine all of the vegetables with the batter and mix evenly. Fill a heavy pot with 2 inches of oil and heat to 375 degrees. Very gently place a heaping spoonful of batter into the hot oil and fry until golden brown, flipping over once if necessary. Drain on paper towel.
• For the Chutney: Finely chop the mint and cilantro. Add the chopped herbs to a bowl and mix in vinegar, sugar and oil. Spoon a bit over a small plate and place pakoras on top. Drizzle the pakoras with sweet and sour sauce and serve immediately.

MIXED VEGETABLE PAKORAS

Steps:

• For the green chutney: Combine the chilies, cilantro, garlic, ginger, mint, lime juice, sugar, cumin, 2 tablespoons water and 3/4 teaspoon salt in a food processor or blender and blend until smooth. Season to taste with additional salt if needed. Transfer to a serving bowl and set aside. Makes: 3/4 cup.
• For the batter: Combine the chickpea flour, cilantro, ajwain, asafoetida, chili flakes, baking soda, if using, and a heaping tablespoon of salt. Gradually add enough water, while mixing, to form a smooth batter that has the consistency of thin pancake batter, about 2 cups water; it should be thick enough to coat the back of a spoon.
• For the vegetables and frying: Fill a large Dutch oven halfway with oil, attach a deep-fry thermometer and heat over medium-high heat to 340 degrees F. (It is important that the oil be medium hot, if too hot then the pakoras will brown on the outside but the vegetables will be raw on the inside.)
• Toss together the kale and yellow onion in a bowl. Then put the cauliflower/broccoli, red onion and potato into separate bowls. Once the oil is at temperature, add enough of the batter to the bowl of onions to coat. Then drop spoonfuls of the mixture into the hot oil (being careful not to overcrowd) and fry, turning occasionally, until golden brown, 5 to 7 minutes. Use a slotted spoon to remove to a cooling rack set over a baking sheet. Repeat with the remaining batter and vegetables: 5 to 7 minutes for the cauliflower/broccoli florets, 6 to 10 minutes for the potatoes and 5 to 7 minutes for the kale.
• Sprinkle the pakoras with sea salt and serve hot with the green chutney for dipping.