Cashew nut pakoras with green dipping sauce

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Nutrition Facts

Amount Per Serving

Calories 120 Calories from Fat 72

% Daily Value*

Fat 8g12%

Saturated Fat 3g19%

Polyunsaturated Fat 1g

Monounsaturated Fat 3g

Cholesterol 6mg2%

Sodium 76mg3%

Potassium 104mg3%

Carbohydrates 11g4%

Fiber 1g4%

Sugar 2g2%

Protein 3g6%

Vitamin A 248IU5%

Vitamin C 104mg126%

Calcium 37mg4%

Iron 1mg6%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

Cashew nut pakoras with green dipping sauce

The ultimate crispy snack

Prep Time20

Cook Time10

Total Time30

Course: Side Dish, starter

Cuisine: Indian

Servings: pakoras

Calories: 120kcal

Author: Anna Jones

Equipment

Frying pan
Blender

Ingredients

For the pakoras

100 g cashew nuts
1 red onion thinly sliced
1 tsp chilli powder
1 handful of fresh curry leaves
1 green chilli thinly sliced
1 thumb-sized piece of ginger finely grated
3 cloves of garlic finely grated
1 tsp fennel seeds
1 tsp cumin seeds
groundnut or vegetable oil for shallow frying
1/2 tsp bicarbonate of soda
80 g chickpea flour
2 tbsp ghee softened
salt
black pepper

For the green sauce

1 tsp black mustard seeds
1 tsp cumin seeds
bunch of coriander stalks and leaves
1/2 bunch of mint leaves picked, stalks discarded
1 thumb-sized piece of ginger peeled and roughly chopped
1 clove of garlic peeled
1 green chilli
1 tsp honey or agave syrup
1 unwaxed lime juiced
1 tbsp coconut oil

To serve

lime dressed salad leaves optional

Method

Measure the cashew nuts into a small, heatproof bowl and cover with double the volume of hot water. Set aside.
Next, make the green dipping sauce. Toast the mustard and cumin seeds in a dry deep frying pan until the cumin smells fragrant and the mustard seeds start to pop. Remove from the heat and tip into a blender with the rest of the green dipping sauce ingredients. Blend until smooth (adding up to two tablespoons of cold water to loosen if you need – it should be like thick yoghurt), then taste and add more salt, lime or honey to balance. Cover and set aside.
Mix the onion, chilli powder, curry leaves, chilli, ginger, garlic, fennel and cumin seeds in a large mixing bowl and give it a really good scrunch. Season generously with salt and black pepper and leave to one side. Drain the cashews well and add to the bowl.
Add 3cm-depth of oil to the frying pan and heat gently over a low-medium heat. Add the bicarbonate of soda, chickpea flour and ghee to the mixing bowl along with 60ml of cold water and mix until it comes together in a chunky batter.
Test to see if the oil is ready by dropping a little of the mixture into the hot oil. If it sizzles and rises to the top it is ready. Add tablespoons of the mixture to the hot oil, a few at a time so as not to overcrowd the pan. Fry for a couple of minutes each side, using a slotted spoon to turn them over. Drain the cooked pakora on kitchen paper and continue until all the mixture has been used.
Season with a pinch of salt while warm and serve with the dipping sauce and some lime-dressed salad leaves if you like.

Nutrition