Small squashes deep-fry particularly well, offering a refreshing, almost juicy contrast to the ethereally crisp batter. This is one of those recipes—pancakes are another—that I tend to make when there are just two of us, and we can eat our sizzling fritters at the stove while the next one cooks. I find I get a much crisper result if I don’t overcrowd the pan.
Recipe information
Yield
makes 6 or 8
Ingredients
For the Chile Sauce
Preparation
Step 1
Put the yogurt for the sauce into a bowl. Seed and finely chop the chiles, then stir them into the yogurt. Toast the cumin seeds in a dry nonstick pan, then, as they start to smell warm and dustily nutty, stir them into the sauce with the coarsely torn cilantro.
Step 2
Cut the carrot and leek into fine strips about the length of your finger. Cut the zucchini and chile into very fine slices. Put all the vegetables and the cilantro and garlic into a bowl. Put the flour, baking soda, garam masala, and a generous amount of salt and pepper into another bowl, then beat in enough cold water to make a smooth but sticky batter. Add the vegetables and toss thoroughly.
Step 3
Heat the oil in a deep pan. Carefully drop large tablespoons of the mixture into the hot oil, about four dollops at a time. Fry for three or four minutes, until they are puffed and golden. Serve hot, with the chile sauce.
