Veggie Pakoras!

Whats your comfort food? Need some ideas? 
Pakora, also called pakoda, pakodi, fakkura, bhajiya, bhajji or ponako, is a fried snack. Originally from the Indian subcontinent, it is a popular snack across the Indian subcontinent, especially in India, Pakistan, Bangladesh and Nepal. Like most food, it can be ruined with egg and dairy, or it can be made healthy, delicious, and VEGAN! 
This pakora recipe comes from Dana at ilovevegan.com
PAKORAS
  • 1/2 red onion, thinly sliced lengthwise (55 g)
  • 2 cups (214 g) chopped cauliflower (the flatter they’re sliced, the better (~½ inch slices or small florets))
  • 5 baby yellow potatoes, thinly sliced into rounds (~1 ½ cups or 500-600 g)
  • 1/2 tsp sea salt
  • Pinch cayenne pepper
  • 1 tsp garam masala
  • 1 tsp curry powder
  • 2 cloves garlic, minced
  • 2 Tbsp (3 g) minced cilantro
  • 1 1/2 cups (132 g) chickpea (aka besan or gram) flour
  • 3/4 - 1 cup (180 -240 ml) water
  • Neutral oil for pan-frying (Avocado and refined coconut are best // ~¼ cup or 60 ml)
CHUTNEY
  • 2 cups (32 g) fresh chopped cilantro
  • optional: 1 green chili or serrano pepper, stems + most seeds removed
  • 3 cloves garlic, peeled
  • 1/4 tsp sea salt
  • 1 large lime, juiced (~3 Tbsp or 45 ml)
  • 1 Tbsp (15 ml) maple syrup, plus more to taste
  • Water to thin (1-5 Tbsp or 15-75 ml)
  • optional: 2-3 Tbsp ripe avocado for extra creaminess
  • optional: 1/8th tsp ground cumin
Instructions
  1. Add onion, cauliflower, and potato to a large mixing bowl and season with salt, cayenne, garam masala, curry powder, garlic, and minced cilantro. Toss and set aside.
  2. To a separate mixing bowl, add chickpea flour and water and stir until a pourable, pancake-like batter is achieved. Then pour over the the vegetables and toss to coat. There should be plenty of batter to generously coat the vegetables. If not, mix together bit more batter and pour over the vegetables.
  3. If serving with chutney, prepare at this time by adding all ingredients to a food processor or small blender and blend until well combined, scraping down sides as needed. Taste and adjust flavor as needed, adding more garlic for kick/zing, salt for saltiness, lime juice for acidity, pepper for heat, or maple syrup for sweetness. Transfer to a serving vessel and set aside.
  4. Heat 2 large skillets over medium high heat (see notes for baking instructions). Once hot, add enough oil to coat the bottom of the pan and let the oil warm. Add the coated vegetables one at a time, grouping the onions together in small bunches so they cook together (see photo). Reduce heat to low and cook for 2-3 minutes on each side. If cooking too quickly, reduce heat to medium / medium-low. Repeat.
  5. As the pakoras are cooked, placed on a paper-towel-lined serving plate and set in a 200-degree F (93 C) oven to keep warm. Repeat until all pakoras are cooked.
  6. Serve with chutney and rice (optional), and garnish with fresh cilantro (also optional). Best when fresh. Store leftovers in a well-covered container in the refrigerator up to 2 days. Reheat in a hot skillet or in a 400 degree F (204 C) oven until warmed through.

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Nutrition Information

 Serving size: 1/6th of recipe with chutney Calories: 148 Fat: 2.8 g Saturated fat: 0.4 g Carbohydrates: 26.3 g Sugar: 6 g Sodium: 188 mg Fiber: 7.2 g Protein: 6.8 g

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