Ayurvedic eating doesn’t have to be just dal and rice. Fritters are a fun and versatile way to work in seasonal vegetables and spices into a dish without the texture of a porridge.  

Recipe from Living Ayurveda: Nourishing Body & Mind through Seasonal Recipes, Rituals and Yoga © Claire Ragozzino, 2020. Photographs copyright © Claire Ragozzino. Reprinted by permission of the publisher, Roost Books. Available wherever books are sold. www.roostbooks.com. 

Spring Pea and Mung Bean Fritters [Vegan]

Serves

4

Cooking Time

20

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Ingredients

For the Fritters:

  • 1/2 cup mung flour or chickpea flour, plus 2 tablespoons
  • 3 cups fresh or frozen spring peas, shelled
  • 2 tablespoons tahini
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 4 spring onions, trimmed and finely chopped
  • 2 tablespoons lemon juice
  • 2 tablespoons lemon zest
  • 2 tablespoons cilantro, finely chopped
  • 1 teaspoon ground coriander
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1–2 teaspoons sunflower oil, for frying
  • Fresh greens, for garnish

For the Herbed Yogurt Sauce:

  • 1/2 cup plain organic coconut yogurt
  • 1 tablespoon cilantro, finely chopped
  • 1 teaspoon lemon zest
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground coriander
  • 1/6 teaspoon salt
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Preparation

For the Fritters:

  1. Bring water to a boil in a medium pot and blanch the peas for 3–4 minutes. Drain the peas through a sieve and pat off the excess water.
  2. Set aside 1 cup of peas and transfer the rest to a food processor. Add the remaining ingredients.
  3. Pulse a few times until mixture breaks down into a thick paste. Pulse again to incorporate the remaining cup of peas to add texture. If the mixture is too wet, add in additional flour 1 spoonful at a time.
  4. Use an ice cream scoop to portion out the patties. With wet hands, shape into balls about 2 inches wide, then flatten into 3/4-inch-thick disks.
  5. In a well-seasoned skillet, heat 1 teaspoon of sunflower oil on medium heat, just below smoking.
  6. Fry the fritters for 2–3 minutes on each side, until they are golden and crispy; use a greased spatula to flip the fritters. Cook just 1–2 at a time to avoid overcrowding in the pan.
  7. Place on a plate lined with a paper towel to absorb the oil. Serve hot with fresh greens and spoonful of the yogurt sauce.

For the Herbed Yogurt:

  1. Combine all ingredients in a bowl. Mix until well combined. Taste and adjust flavors as desired.
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Notes

To make the mung flour, blend 1 cup of whole green mung beans in a dry high-speed blender or home grain mill. Store the flour in an airtight jar in your pantry for up to a month until ready to use. Chickpea flour makes an easy store-bought alternative to mung flour.

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