World on a plate: Indian
NZ Herald
By Bharat Jamnadas
Bharat Jamnadas hosts a popular cooking segment on the TV show Asia Downunder and is chef for today's World on a Plate event at Auckland Museum. A dish popular in most parts of India and South Asia is pakora, a savoury vegetable fritter containing some of the most frequently used spices in Indian cuisine.
Bharat's pakora recipe
Ingredients
| 2 cups | Besan (chickpea flour) (Main) |
| 1 tsp | Garam masala |
| ½ tsp | Ground turmeric |
| ½ tsp | Chilli powder |
| 1 tsp | Salt |
| 3 cloves | Garlic |
| ½ cup | Fresh coriander |
| 4 cups | Vegetables |
| 1 | Lemon |
| 1 to taste | Vegetable oil |
Directions
- In a bowl mix together the besan, garam masala, turmeric, chilli powder and salt.
- Add the lemon juice and gradually add enough water to make a thick batter.
- Add the garlic, chopped coriander leaves and chopped vegetables into the batter and mix thoroughly.
- Heat vegetable oil in a deep pan.
- Drop teaspoons of the batter in a pan, about 10 at a time, and deep fry until they are brown all over and cooked through.
- Drain well on paper towels. Serve with chutneys.