ZUCCHINI-LENTIL FRITTERS WITH LEMONY YOGURT

Zucchini-Lentil Fritters With Lemony Yogurt image

These crispy zucchini fritters take inspiration from the Bengali onion snack piyaju. Soaked and blended red lentils make up the batter, which is spiked with turmeric and chile powder.

Provided by @MakeItYours

Number Of Ingredients 13

Ingredients

¾ cup whole-milk yogurt
2 Tbsp. fresh lemon juice
½ tsp. sugar
Kosher salt
1 cup red lentils (masoor dal)
1 medium zucchini (about 5 oz.)
½ medium onion, thinly sliced
1¾ tsp. kosher salt, divided, plus more
½ tsp. Kashmiri chile powder or ¼ tsp. cayenne pepper
¼ tsp. ground turmeric
1 cup parsley leaves with tender stems
1 Tbsp. finely grated lemon zest
1 cup ghee or neutral vegetable oil

Steps:

PreparationLemony yogurt: Whisk yogurt, lemon juice, and sugar in a small bowl to combine. Season with salt. Do Ahead: Yogurt can be made 1 day ahead. Cover and chill. Fritters: Rinse lentils, then soak in 2 cups water at room temperature at least 1 hour and up to 12 hours. (Soaking the lentils makes them tender and a lot easier to blend.) Meanwhile, trim ends of zucchini and cut crosswise into 3 pieces about 2" long. Cut each piece lengthwise into ¼"-thick planks. Stack a few planks and slice lengthwise into ¼"-thick matchsticks (about the size of a skinny french fry). Transfer zucchini to a colander set in a medium bowl. Add onion and 1 tsp. salt and toss to combine. Let sit until vegetables look wilted and softened and about 1 Tbsp. liquid has released into bowl, 30 minutes to 2 hours. Gently pat dry with paper towels to remove any excess moisture. Drain lentils and transfer to a food processor. Add chile powder, turmeric, and ¾ tsp. salt. Pulse, scraping down sides, until a purée forms. Transfer to a medium bowl and add zucchini and onion, parsley, and lemon zest. Toss with a rubber spatula to combine. Line a rimmed baking sheet with paper towels; set a wire rack inside. Heat ghee in a medium cast-iron skillet over medium-high until a pinch of batter added to the pan sizzles and sputters. Using a large spoon, scoop out about ¼ cup batter, then use a second large spoon dipped in the hot ghee to carefully scrape into pan; flatten with ghee-coated spoon. Repeat to make 3 more fritters. Fry until deep golden brown underneath, about 3 minutes. Turn over with a wide slotted spatula and fry until deep golden brown on the second side, about 3 minutes. Transfer fritters to prepared rack to drain; season immediately with salt. Repeat with remaining batter (you end up with 8-10 fritters total). Transfer fritters to a platter. Serve with lemony yogurt alongside.