Stuffed baby pepper pakoras
- Preparation and cooking time
- Prep:
- Cook:
- Easy
- 4 as a snack
Ingredients
- 300g potatoes, Maris Piper or King Edwards, peeled and quartered
- 1 tsp fennel seeds
- ½ tsp Kashmiri chilli powder
- 2 tsp dried mango powder (amchoor)
- 1 tsp ground coriander
- 1 green chilli, chopped, with the seeds left in
- ¼ tsp coarsely ground black peppercorns
- 250g baby sweet peppers
- 150g gram flour
- 1 tsp fine salt
- ¾ tsp ground cumin
- sunflower oil, for deep-frying
- coriander relish, to serve
Method
- STEP 1
Boil the potatoes in lightly salted water for about 15 mins, or until tender, then drain in a colander, tip back into the pan and coarsely crush with a fork.
- STEP 2
Heat a small heavy-bottomed frying pan and toast the fennel seeds for about 30 seconds, stirring all the time, until they release their aroma. Use a pestle and mortar to grind the seeds to a powder.
- STEP 3
Stir the ground fennel seeds, chilli powder, mango powder, ground coriander, green chilli and peppercorns into the crushed potatoes.
- STEP 4
Cut the peppers in half lengthways and use a spoon to scoop out the seeds. Fill each cavity with some of the spiced potato mixture and set aside.
- STEP 5
Sieve the gram flour and salt into a bowl and stir in just enough cold water to make a smooth batter – aim for the consistency of double cream.
- STEP 6
Heat the oil in a wok or karahi to 180°C, or test the temperature by dropping in a cube of bread – when it browns in 30 seconds, it’s ready. Dip the filled pepper halves in the batter, then deep-fry in batches for 3-5 mins until golden. Drain the pakoras on kitchen paper, sprinkle with salt, and serve straightaway with coriander relish.
