PINCHED RICE FLOUR PAKORA FRITTERS WITH PAPAYA

Pinched Rice Flour Pakora Fritters with Papaya image

Number Of Ingredients 17

Ingredients

4 to 6 quarters-size slices peeled fresh ginger
1 to 3 fresh green chili pepper, such as serrano, stemmed
1 small onion, coarsely chopped
1/2 cup coarsely chopped fresh cilantro, including soft stems
12 to 15 fresh spinach leaves, with stems
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1 1/2 cups peeled and chopped firm unripe papayas
2/3 cup rice flour
1/2 cup chickpea flour
1/2 teaspoon salt, or to taste
1/8 teaspoon baking soda
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1 teaspoon mustard seeds
1/4 teaspoon ground asafoetida
1 tablespoon coarsely ground dried curry leaves
1 1/2 to 2 cups peanut oil for deep-frying
2 to 3 cups shredded lettuce (any kind)

Steps:

1. In a food processor, pulse together the ginger, green chile peppers, onion, cilantro, spinach, and lemon juice until just minced. (Do not Purée.) Add the papaya and pulse until coarsely chopped (do not mince). Transfer to a bowl. Add the rice and chickpea flours, salt, and baking soda and mix well to make a thick, almost dough-like mixture. Add some more rice or chickpea flour, if needed.2. Heat 1 tablespoon oil in a small nonstick saucepan over medium-high heat and add the mustard seeds and asafoetida. They should splutter upon contact with the hot oil, so cover the pan and reduce the heat until the spluttering subsides. Quickly add the curry leaves, stir 30 seconds, then mix the spices into the mixture.3. Heat the peanut oil as per directions in INFORMATION AND SPECIAL TECHNIQUES: __Frying Fritters (Pakorae Talna). Divide the mixture into 12 equal portions and form into rolls or cylinders, each about 1 inch thick and 3 inches long (they don't have to be smooth). Carefully slide them into the hot oil, adding as many as the wok can hold at one time without crowding, and fry, turning and moving them around as needed until golden, 2 to 3 minutes.4. Transfer with slotted spatula to paper towels to drain. When cool enough to handle, pinch off about 1-inch pieces from each roll and refry in hot oil, drain on paper towels again, then serve on a bed of shredded lettuce.From "1,000 Indian Recipes." Copyright 2002 by Neelam Batra. Used with permission of the publisher, Wiley Publishing, Inc. All Rights Reserved.

Nutrition Facts : Nutritional Facts Serves