Red Lentil Pakoras

We enjoyed these great pakoras at the Winter Wholefood Cooking Demonstration with The Sydney Yoga Teacher Training Team.

They were made with our Sun Dried Garam Marsala on the day, but this is the recipe that I use at home.

What in the cupboard

• 1 cup dry red lentils
• water to blend
• 2 – 3 chillies
• 1/2 teaspoon of french sea salt
• 1/2 teaspoon of ground black pepper
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1/2 teaspoon ground coriander
• 1/2 teaspoon of garam marsala or curry powders is yummy too
• 1 medium chopped onion 
• 1/2 cup coriander leaves chopped
• Sesame oil for frying

How to:

1. Soak red lentils for a minimum ½ an hour in hot water, or overnight in cold water
2. Wash lentils, then drain in a sieve for 5-10 minutes before placing in the blender
3. Cook the onions until the onion vapour disperses and add the salt to stop browning.
4. Blend the washed lentils until you have a rough soft paste .  The consistency should be so that it’s not runny and you can push the paste off a spoon with another spoon when you cook them. If you need to add water, add one tablespoon to start.
5. Pour paste from blender into a mixing bowl with all the spices.
6. Add the onion and finely chopped chillies. Mix all the ingredients through evenly then add the chopped coriander and they are ready to cook.
7. We used a cast iron skillet to cook with a little oil to help make them crisp.  Spoon on the mixture into the size you need onto the oil and flatten them into shape. Don’t put too many on the pan at once, they need room.
8. Poke with a fork to make sure they are cooked through; if fork is not clear when it is removed then they need to be on the skittle a little longer.
9. Cook until golden brown.
10. Place on dish lined with kitchen paper to drain any excess oil. Remove paper when serving.
11. Serve hot and enjoy!

You can keep this mixture in the fridge for 2 days so they are cooked fresh and crisp each time.