Joe makes it easy: Lentil fritters with a crunchy radish salad
SERVES 2 adults + 2 small kids
PREPARE: 15 minutes
COOK: 15-20 minutes
3 tbsp vegetable oil
juice of 1 lime
pinch of sugar
salt and pepper
1 tbsp coconut oil
mango chutney and natural yoghurt, to serve
FOR THE FRITTER BATTER
150g gram flour or plain flour
200g natural yoghurt
2 eggs, beaten
1 tsp salt
3 tsp curry powder
2 x 250g pouches of good quality cooked puy lentils
30g coriander, leaves roughly chopped and stems finely chopped
8 spring onions, finely chopped
a splash of milk – optional
FOR THE CRUNCHY RADISH SALAD
½ tsp cumin seeds
200g radishes, quartered
½ red onion, thinly sliced
10 cherry tomatoes, quartered
5g mint leaves, roughly chopped
- First, make the batter. Whisk the flour, yoghurt, eggs, salt and curry powder in a mixing bowl until smooth. Stir in the lentils, chopped coriander stems and spring onions. Loosen the mixture a little if necessary with a splash of milk – it should have a dropping consistency: a small amount of the mixture should fall from the spoon if gently shaken.
- Whisk the vegetable oil with the lime juice and sugar then season with salt and pepper. Keep to one side.
- To make the salad, lightly toast the cumin seeds in a dry frying pan for 1-2 minutes until fragrant, then bash them a little in a mortar and pestle to help release their flavour.
- Mix the radishes, red onion, tomatoes, cumin seeds, coriander leaves and mint leaves together in a bowl. Toss over the oil and lime juice mixture and keep to one side.
- Heat the coconut oil in a frying pan over a medium heat. Cook the lentil fritters in batches, spooning in heaped tablespoons of the batter and cooking for 2 minutes on each side until golden brown and all the batter is used.
- Serve the fritters with the radish salad and some mango chutney and natural yoghurt (swirled together if you like) on the side.