Aubergine and Broccoli Pakora

A Pakora is basically an Indian snack involving something deep fried in a chickpea batter. And very tasty they are too. Perfect as a snack or a side-dish. Yum!

I've called this "aubergine and broccoli" pakora but really you could try any vegetable you fancy in this - give it a whirl and it might turn out great!

What's the cost?

Depends on the vegetable. I'll do a costing for mixed broccoli and aubergine pakora 50-50.

Came out at 0.90 zl per person (18 pence, 21 Euro cents, 1.59 Danish Kroner)

You'll need:

- 1/2 aubergine
- 1/4 head of broccoli
- 3 tablespoons of chickpea flour (gram flour)
- 1 tablespoon of rice flour
- 1 tsp minced ginger
- 2 chopped green chillies
- 1/4 tsp chilli powder
- 1 tsp salt
- a pinch of ajwain seeds
- a tsp of roughly ground coriander seeds
- 1/2 tsp turmeric
- 1/3 bottle of veg oil for frying

Let's go!

1. Grind down the coriander seeds in a pestle and mortar.

2. Add everything (except the vegetables) into a bowl

3. Add enough water to form a crepe-like batter. Whisk well.

4. Get the deep frying oil medium hot. Do the onion test. Put a small slice of onion in the oil. When it rises to the surface and starts bubbling, the oil is the right temperature - keep on medium heat. Dip the vegetables into the batter to cover and then into the oil.

5. They should take around 5 minutes or so. Drain when brown but don't burn!

Enjoy!

One thing - this recipe uses something called "ajwain" - these are tiny seeds with a very strong thyme-like flavour. You only need a pinch but they impart a special je ne sais quoi to the dish. Get them from an Asian store.

What did this cost?

- Veg: 2 zl
- Oil: 1.7 zl
- Rest: 0.80 zl

Total: 4.5
Would serve around 5

Per person: 0.90 zl