Indian Yam Fritters Classic Crunch Patties Food

YUCCA BLACK BEAN FRITTERS / CRUNCH PATTIES

Steps:

• Peel and wash the yucca. Cut into pieces.
• Boil in salted water for about 15-20 minutes or until tender. (shorter time if you use a pressure cooker; which is just a dream in my current ghetto kitchen that has no $%*#@ space.).
• Plop the tender yucca pieces into the food processor. Add the flour as well. Rinse and drain the black beans and put them in too.
• Continuously pulse until the ingredients have pureed together-- but not entirely pureed, about halfway. There needs to be some whole beans and yucca chunks in there or else there's nothing to chew on.
• Add the spices, and butter or oil and pulse again until melded.
• If your food processor is a pain in the @$$ like mine, chances are some large yucca chunks and whole black beans are in there too. This is fine, I actually found this really added to the texture and flavor.
• With your hands, form patties about the size of yo-yos. There should be about 15-20 of them.
• Let the patties sit for a while (about 10 minutes. In my case, I had to run to class so I put them in a container in the fridge for 2 hours and fried them up when I returned.).
• Pour canola oil in a frying pan and make sure the oil doesn't get too hot.
• Fry the patties in the oil, about 2-3 minutes on each side.
• Blot on paper towels and serve with salsa, sour cream, and/or guacamole or your favorite dipping sauce and enjoy.

YUMMY INDIAN CRUNCH PATTIES / LENTIL & CHICKPEA MASALA VEDAI

Steps:

• Clean the chickpeas and lentils in cold water, and soak them in a sufficient water level for at least 1 hour. (IMPORTANT- I know you were thinking about pre-boiling or just using canned to be lazy. But I did the same thing and had to toss it the first time; there has to be coarseness to this batter or it won't work. It'll be like frying funnel cake batter, too creamy and nothing to chew on.).
• Drain well and blend in a food processor.
• The mixture should have a thick and pasty consistency-- but if it can't blend, just add a few drops of water but not too much.
• Pour the lentil/chickpea puree into another mixing bowl, and add the other ingredients, blending well.
• Form the mixture into balls (about ping pong ball sized) with your hands (I hope you washed them) and flatten.
• Let the balls set for a few minutes.
• Fry the balls in the olive oil, then blot on paper towels.
• Serve with a nice chutney, tamarind date sauce, a nice yogurt sauce, or double/triple the recipe to have enough for all 3!

INDIAN YAM FRITTERS / CLASSIC CRUNCH PATTIES

Steps:

• Wash and peel the yams. Boil until tender, about 20 minutes.
• Drain the yams thoroughly and puree in the food processor with the flour. A thick and sticky mixture should result.
• Add the seasonings and pulse again.
• Form little discs with your hands (I hope you washed them) about the size of half-dollars. (50p coins to those across the pond.).
• Shallow pan fry in olive oil, blot on paper towels.
• Serve with tamarind date sauce or a good chutney (many fine chutney recipes on the zaar!).

PAKORA (INDIAN VEGETABLE FRITTERS)

Steps:

• Make batter: Place chickpea flour in a bowl with the spices (turmeric, cumin, coriander, fenugreek, chilli). Slow whisk in the water.
• Mix in Vegetables: Add potato, cauliflower, onion, ginger, chilli and coriander. Mix well with a wooden spoon. It should be a thick batter, almost paste-like.
• Preheat oven to 80°C/175°F - to keep cooked pakoras warm. Set a rack over a tray.
• Heat oil: Heat 4cm / 1.5" oil in a large heavy based pot to 180°C/350°F (Note 6).
• Form patties: Drop 2 tbsp of batter roughly formed into a patty shape into the oil. I use my hands (as is typical in India!) but you can also use 2 tablespoons (be careful of splash-age). Don't crowd the pot, it will lower the temperature too much.
• Fry pakoras: Fry 2 - 3 minutes until golden. Drain on paper towels. Keep cooked pakoras hot in the oven on a rack set over a tray.
• Serve: Serve pakoras with Coriander Mint Sauce or Minted Yogurt Sauce!

INDIAN ONION FRITTERS

Steps:

• Break egg into bowl and beat well. Add water and lemon juice. Mix. Add all chickpea flour and mix well with whisk. Put in salt, cayenne, garam masala, cumin seeds, cumin, turmeric, green chile, and cilantro or coriander.
• Mix well, set aside for 10+ minutes.
• Mix again with whisk. The batter should be of a droppable consistency.
• Put oil in wok or deep fryer and set over medium-high heat. You should have 3+ inches of oil at center of wok.
• When oil is hot, put onion into batter and mix. (This should always be done just before frying.)
• Remove heaping teaspoons of batter and drop it into frying oil.
• Use up all the batter this way.
• Stir and fry the fritters for 7-8 minutes or until they are a golden red.
• Remove fritters with slotted spoon, drain on plate lined with paper towels.
• Serve hot.