200g/7oz gram flour (you may not need all the flour)
vegetable oil
for deep frying
1kg/2lb 4oz natural yoghurt
70g/2½oz gram flour
1 tsp salt
1 tsp ground turmeric
2½ tbsp ghee
4 dried red chillies
small handful curry leaves
½ tsp mustard seeds
½ tsp fenugreek seeds
½ tsp cumin seeds
2 garlic cloves
finely sliced
1 lemon
juice only
300g/10½oz basmati rice
cooked according to packet instructions
1 large bunch coriander
leaves roughly chopped
Directions
For the pakora
mix together all of the ingredients apart from the gram flour and vegetable oil. Season with salt
then stir in half the flour. Continue to mix in the gram flour until the batter is the consistency of thick double cream and clings to the vegetables.
Fill a deep-fat fryer with vegetable oil and preheat to 180C. (CAUTION: hot oil can be dangerous. Do not leave unattended.)
When ready to fry
pick up small clumps of the batter-clad vegetables and carefully lower them into the hot oil. Fry for about 3 minutes
or until crisp and golden. Remove the pakora using a slotted spoon and drain on a plate lined with kitchen roll. Keep the pakora warm in a low oven while you make the sauce.
For the sauce
whisk the yoghurt
gram flour
salt
200ml/7fl oz water and turmeric together then tip in to a large saucepan and warm through over a very low heat
stirring regularly.
Keeping an eye on the yoghurt
heat the ghee in a separate frying pan and add all the spices and the garlic. Heat very gently for about 10 minutes
to allow the flavours to infuse.
Stir the infused ghee (including the spices and garlic) into the warmed
spiced yoghurt. Finish with a good squeeze of lemon juice.
Serve up the yoghurt sauce atop cooked basmati rice and dot over the pakora
finishing the whole thing off with a generous sprinkle of chopped coriander.
