VEGGIE FRITTERS


We are now two thirds of the way through our trip and we've begun to talk of going home. Of course the kids have already planned our first California meals. Otis wants to stop at Picante for grub on his way home from the airport, even before stepping foot in our house.

I look forward to being with friends and neighbors. I am curious to see our garden and I cannot wait to sleep in our comfy bed.

But I am also nervous about leaving our trip behind. Getting this much time with Paul and the kids is a dream that isn't a realistic scenario in Berkeley. I have never seen my family happier, more relaxed, and inspired. P and I talk a lot about how to weave some of this trip's experience into our lives back home. Maybe not filling the calendar with play dates and activities - staying spontaneous. Slowing down to thoroughly enjoy the family time we do have. We know we need to make traveling a regular part of our lives and we already talk about where we to go next year. Otis and Lilah vote for a return to Bali. They have so many friends here, are speaking more and more Bahasa Indonesia, and this lush island feels a lot like home.
 
In these next three months, I still have many tastes to share with you including these delectable Veggie Fritters...

A while back I wrote about a cooking class I took with with Dr. Kekada. Remember that creamy Chai latte? Well, there's more tastiness where that came from.

Dr. Kekada is an Ayurvedic doctor - for her food is medicine. According to Kekada, this "medicine" should be full of flavor as well as health. My girlfriends and I devoured a feast she made for us, and these veggie fritters (Pakora) dipped in Fresh Mint Chutney was the favorite dish for all.

I love that these fritters are not at all doughy - they are wonderful mix of mostly leafy greens and spices, with chickpea flour for binding. Simple, healthy and flavorful all at the same time.

INGREDIENTS
  • 2 cups white or yellow onion, sliced
  • 2 packed cups, chopped amaranth greens or kale
  • 1 teaspoon turmeric
  • 3/4 teaspoon fennel seeds, crushed
  • 2 cups chickpea flour
  • 3/4 teaspoon sea salt
  • 3/4 cup water
  • 2 tablespoons lemon juice
  • raw coconut oil



Place onion, greens, turmeric, fennel seed, chickpea flour, and sea salt in a large bowl. Mix all ingredients together with your hands. After everything is well integrated, add lemon juice. Also add 1/2 cup of water into bowl. Mix again with your hands. Keep adding water and stirring until the mixture is not longer dry and turns into a damp dough. Kedada calls for more than a cup of water, but I used only about 3/4 cup of water for my fritters.

Put dough into fridge to cool for a while. Maybe while you are cooking some Dal, or whipping up some Mint Chutney for dipping.

Put enough oil to reach half way up the side of a medium to large frying pan. Heat oil over medium/high heat until oil is hot, but not smoking. To make fritters, scoop four or five tablespoons of batter (each scoop separated by at least an inch) into the hot oil. Cook until undersides are golden. Using a slotted spoon, flip fritters and cook other sides until golden all over.

Place cooked fritters onto paper towels or cheese cloth to soak up excess oil. Keep cooking batches of fritters until you run out of dough.


Eat while the fritters are warm. Served these with Mint Chutney for dipping.

Enjoy!

15 comments:

  1. what you are doing with your family is so fabulous...we have a big mortgage, life is a little groundhog, anal neighbour who doesn't like the sound of my childrens laughter (or fighting), husband works massive hours...and to be very honest i daydream about not having the big overheads...trimming it all back & living a little more simpler...travel more...have more eating experiences...blah blah. i have a bag of chickpea flour in my pantry and guess what i am making this weekend! thanks for the recipe. keep embracing it all. dayle

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  2. Very interesting fritter. I do make a lot of them, but never with these lovely ingredients.
    Coming home from a trip is always a downer, but so often I feel rejuvenated and ready to take on the world once I get back.

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  3. Thanks Barbara! I am going forward with a positive attitude and hope to carry my inspiration home with me.

    Dayle,
    I was totally touched by your thoughtful comment! I can tell you it is really worth taking a break from the treadmill that so many find ourselves on. If you can make it work to get away, do it.
    :)

    -E

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  4. Those fritters sound divine. I love fritters with chutney. Reading about your trip has been great, it's giving me a serious itch to go traveling

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  5. fritters look delicious yummy for tea time

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  6. Those are truly gorgeous. I look forward to trying them! I also agree that purposeful family time on vacations is so nice. My family recently decided that instead of buying gifts for holidays, we're putting into a fund for vacations as we are now scattered to the four corners and would prefer to get together somewhere for a longer period of time than to receive gifts.

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  7. Can so appreciate your comments on the trip, thoughts of going home, incorporating elements of this life into your regular existence, and the next step. We've still got quite a few months to go, but travel has definitely given me such an appreciation for spontaneity and that the huge value of spending so much time together.

    Delicious recipe too. - Leonora

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  8. Thanks for all the kind comments. Cool to hear that travel is such a source of happiness for so many of you!
    -E

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  9. ohh yes these look addictive for sure !!!

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  10. These are usually called Bhaji's or if mixed with cooked potato cubes Pakora's. Use cumin rather than fennel and try with a dip of yoghurt mixed with a little chilli sauce( not tabasco ) but the ketchup type. Hope you try these versions, Bloo ;-)

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  11. I also have some chick pea flour, am going to do this!

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  12. They looks so yummy .. i am almost tempted to ask you if i can bake those .. but i know that they will taste better as deep fried :)

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  13. wondering how this would work if instead of chickpea flour, i just used canned chickpeas (always on hand) and left out the water. hmmm.... also considering doing a quick pan fry instead of a deep dry. mainly since i suck a frying. lol. saving this recipe to cookmarked.com for safe keeping!

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  14. Hey Laura, good question about the canned chickpeas. Hmmm... I honestly am not sure if that will work or not. But, if you do give the fritters a try with your modification, let me know. I'd love to hear how it goes.
    Cheers,
    E

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So good to hear from you... I appreciate each and every note you leave for me!

Thanks,
E