makes
25
prep
15 minutes
cook
30 minutes
difficulty
Easy
makes
25
serves
preparation
15
minutes
cooking
30
minutes
difficulty
Easy
level
Ingredients
- vegetable oil, for deep-frying
- lemon wedges, to serve
Pakoras
- ½ small red onion, roughly chopped
- 1 long green chilli, roughly chopped
- 1 bunch English spinach, roughly chopped
- 2 cups chickpea (besan) flour
- 1 tsp ground cinnamon
- 1 tsp chilli powder
- 1 tsp smoked paprika
- 1 tbsp ground turmeric
- 400 ml coconut milk
Tamarind chutney
- 250 g tamarind pulp (soft and seedless)
- 1 tsp aniseed
- 1 tsp fennel seeds
- 1 tsp ajwain (carom) seeds (see Note)
- 250 ml (1 cup) water
- 2 tbsp brown sugar
- 1 tsp chilli powder
- 1 tsp ground ginger
Mint chutney
- ½ bunch mint, leaves picked
- 2 garlic cloves, roughly chopped
- ½ small green chilli, roughly chopped
Instructions
For the pakoras, combine the ingredients in a large bowl to form semi-dry clumps. Set aside.
For tamarind chutney, in a small bowl, soak the tamarind pulp in some water for 15 minutes.
Using a mortar and pestle, coarsely grind the aniseed, fennel seeds and ajwain together.
Bring 250 ml water to the boil in a small saucepan, add the sugar and reduce to syrup consistency. Remove from the heat.
Blend the tamarind pulp, adding enough of the soaking water, about 125 ml (½ cup), to form a smooth thick consistency. Add to the sugar syrup and spice mixture, season with salt, and pulse to combine, thinning with more soaking water as necessary to form a chutney consistency.
To fry the pakoras, heat the vegetable oil to 180ºC. Drop 6 cm-diameter rounds into the oil, in batches, and deep-fry until golden. Remove and drain on paper towel.
For the mint chutney, blend the mint, garlic, chilli and salt with a little bit of water till a smooth, thick paste. Set aside.
Serve the pakoras with the chutneys and lemon wedges.
Cook’s notes
• Ajwain (carom) seeds are available from Indian grocers.
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Cook's Notes
Oven temperatures are for conventional; if using fan-forced (convection), reduce the temperature by 20˚C. | We use Australian tablespoons and cups: 1 teaspoon equals 5 ml; 1 tablespoon equals 20 ml; 1 cup equals 250 ml. | All herbs are fresh (unless specified) and cups are lightly packed. | All vegetables are medium size and peeled, unless specified. | All eggs are 55-60 g, unless specified.
