Print Indian spiced courgette and chickpea fritters with tomato, cucumber and mint salsa
Light, spicy courgette and chickpea fritters with a cooling salsa. Chickpeas and gram flour give the fritters a nice nuttiness and lots of protein. This makes a lovely vegetarian lunch or dinner (or make it vegan by replacing the cow's yoghurt with coconut yoghurt).
Ingredients
- 3-4 courgettes (500g grated weight)
- ½ tsp salt
- 1 chilli, deseeded & finely chopped
- 3 spring onions, finely sliced
- 1 tbsp medium hot curry powder
- 1 tsp fresh ginger, finely grated
- 3 tbsp coriander leaves, chopped
- 100g gram (chickpea) flour
- 1 tin chickpeas, rinsed & drained, then lightly mashed with a fork, so some are crushed & some whole
- Oil for frying, e.g. vegetable or sunflower
- Finely grated zest of 1 lime or lemon
- ½ pot plain yogurt
- for the salsa:
- 480g punnet tomatoes, chopped, seeds removed
- 1 mini cucumber or ½ a large one, diced
- Small bunch of mint, leaves finely shredded
- 1-2 chillies, finely chopped
- 2 tbsp olive oil for dressing
- Juice of ½ lime or lemon, more to taste
- Salt & pepper
Method
- Put a clean tea towel in a colander over a bowl. Tip in the grated courgettes. Wring the towel several times, to squeeze out as much moisture as you can. Wash and dry the bowl and tip the courgettes back in.
- Add the chopped chilli, spring onion, curry powder, ginger, coriander, gram flour and chickpeas.
- Mix together well, cover and chill for at least 30 minutes.
- Meanwhile, mix the zest from 1 lime into the yogurt.
- Make the salsa: mix all the ingredients in a bowl, season and leave to stand.
- Roughly shape the courgette mixture into 8 balls, then flatten into patty shapes. Heat a layer of oil in a large non-stick frying pan. Fry for 3-4 minutes on each side, until golden. Serve with a dollop of citrussy yogurt and the salsa on the side.
Cooks notes
Basil's the obvious herb match for tomatoes, but mint works really well too
