Zucchini Pakoras with Zucchini Chutney

Supposedly, it’s the star vegetable of summer, but week after week, to most people it can get a tad bit boring. 

So to somewhat change that and give more variety, I decided to give the humble Zucchini not one but two makeovers. 

I turned it into a Pakora and a Chutney, both equally irresistible combinations. 

Zucchini is quite easy to hide in recipes because it literally tastes like nothing! 

It’s mild flavor means that it’s endlessly customizable, which is why it can sneak it’s way into any recipe. 

This is probably one of the tastiest way of using zucchini. 

Pakoras are popular appetisers in any Indian cuisine. They are crispy, bite-size vegetable fritters, spiked up with gorgeous Indian spices before being fried until they reach a crispy-crunchy perfection. 

These little flavor bombs are every foodies weakness. The sort of indulgence, where you want to just keep popping them into your mouth, one after the other, until you suddenly realise the plate is half empty! And with a Chutney to dip into, there’s just no stopping. 

Give it a try, I’m sure you’ll never look at zucchini in the same way again. 

For the chutney: 

1/2 a Zucchini, cut into slices 

3 - 4 Green chilies

1/2 cup fresh grated coconut 

2 tbsp peanuts - roasted and skin removed 

1/2 cup coriander leaves 

1/2 inch of ginger 

1 tbsp lemon juice 

Salt to taste 

1/2 tsp oil 

For tempering : 

1 tsp Oil 

1/2 tsp mustard seeds 

1/2 tsp asafetida 

3-4 curry leaves 

1-2 dry red chilies 

Method: 

1. Take a pan and dry roast the peanuts for a few minutes. Once cooled remove the skin and keep them aside. 
2. In the same pan heat oil on medium gas mark and fry the zucchini slices for a minute or two. 
3. Add the green chilies and fry for another minute. 
4. Take the pan off the heat and let it cool.  
5. Add all the remaining ingredients, along with the peanuts, zucchini and chilies into a blender and blend until everything forms into a smooth consistency. 
6. Give it a taste and season accordingly. 
7. Remove the chutney into a serving bowl. 

Now take a clean pan to prepare the tempering. 

1. Heat oil on a medium heat for 2 minutes. Once the oil is hot add the mustard seeds. Let the seed splutter and then add asafetida, curry leaves and dry red chilies. 

Take it off the heat and now pour all this on top of the chutney. 

For the Pakoras : 

1 cup Besan flour + more if required (Bengal Gram Flour)

1 tsp red chili flakes

1/2 tsp carrom seeds

1/2 tsp fennel seeds 

1/2 tsp black cumin seeds 

1 tsp grated ginger 

2 cups grated zucchini 

1/2 cup grated carrot 

1/2 cup chopped red onion 

1 tbsp chopped coriander 

1/8 tsp turmeric powder

1/2 tsp baking soda

1 tbsp rice flour 

Salt to taste

Oil for deep frying

Method: 

1. In a mixing bowl add the grated zucchini, carrots, red onion and mix.  
2. Next, into the bowl, add the Besan flour, rice flour, red chili flakes, carrom, fennel and cumin seeds, ginger, turmeric, baking soda, coriander and salt. 
3. Get your ( washed, clean ) hand in there and give it all a good mix, for a good minute or two. The zucchini will release enough moisture to give you thick batter like consistency so there is no need to add any water. At this point the batter should be a bit loose, enough to form into balls. If it seems too thin, add more rice and chickpea flour,  just a teaspoon at a time. 
4. Form 1 1/2 inch size balls and set aside on tray.
5. Heat 2-3 inches of oil in large pot, until it reaches to 175°C or 350F or do a wooden spoon check - dip the end of the wooden spoon into the hot oil. If it starts to form tiny bubbles, this is when you know the oil is hot enough. 
6. Fry the pakoras until they are golden brown, approximately 2-3 minutes. Fry them in batches and do not overcrowd the pot. 
7. Drain on paper towels and sprinkle lightly with salt and serve hot. 

My summer garden gave me an abundance of zucchinis year. Come to think about it, there are so many unique ways to cook with zucchini. I only realized it when I had to come up with different ways of using it. 

So here’s something that might interest you! 

Frittatas look super fancy and never fail to impress. Do you know that they can be easily made from almost all vegetables you have in your pantry. 

An onion frittata with just eggs and Pecorino cheese is a classic. White onions, eggs, grated Pecorino or Parmigiano Reggiano, Extra Virgin Olive Oil, Salt and Pepper. That’s it! 

It is the most traditional Italian recipe that you can recreate without much effort.

• Normally Frittatas are made with cream and milk but I’ve skipped it out simply because I did not want it to be too heavy. 
• Avoid using large amounts of water releasing vegetables, as they can affect the texture and flavor of your frittata. The other thing to keep in mind is to sauté the vegetables before adding them to the eggs.
• A classic Frittata is made on a stove top. Cooked in a pan it is flipped half way through and cooked on the other side. Some may find it a bit daunting as it needs a bit of practice and confidence. I’ve used both methods but I’m sharing the oven baked version. 

I’ve written down two ways to make it , using the oven and the stove top. I’ve done both ways and honestly they are equally delicious. 

Ingredients:

3 zucchinis or courgettes (medium)

1 red onion (medium)

1/2 tsp salt 

freshly ground black pepper 

1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil

40g grated Pecorino, Parmesan or Grana Padano 

1 1/2 tbsp breadcrumbs plus more for sprinkling 

3-4 slices of Provolone cheese 

3 eggs

1 cup full of chopped parsley 

20 -22 cm non stick oven proof pan. 

Method: 

1. Preheat the oven to 200°C or 392°F, top bottom heating. 
2. Wash and thinly slice the zucchini. Roughly chop the onions. Add the zucchini and the onions to a bowl and mix. Drizzle with olive oil, pepper and salt. 
3. On a tray lined with parchment paper spread the zucchini-onion mix. Put this into the middle section of the oven, for about 7-8 minutes, or just until zucchini is tender but not mushy (!) 
4. In the meantime crack 3 eggs into a bowl. Whisk very well using a fork or a balloon whisk. 
5. In a separate bowl mix grated Parmesan cheese, breadcrumbs, parsley and some pepper. Put this mixture into the beaten eggs. 
6. Remove the tray from the oven. Let cool for a few minutes. Take half of the zucchini-onions and mix it into the egg mixture. Evenly distribute half of mixture onto a non stick pan. 
7. Place the Provolone cheese slices over the evenly spread out zucchini and onions. Sprinkle some more Parmesan cheese and parsley if you like. 
8. Now add all the remaining mixture over the cheese. Sprinkle some more Parmesan and breadcrumbs and parsley on top. 
9. Set it into the oven to bake for 15 minutes or until set and golden brown on top. 

Stovetop Version: 

Heat the frying pan over medium-high heat. Add the olive oil, onions and zucchini to the pan. Cook for 20 minutes, stirring occasionally until they are tender. Separately, using a fork, whisk the eggs. Then add cheese, herbs, breadcrumbs together in a bowl. Add salt and pepper to taste. Pour the egg mixture in the pan. As the edges in the pan begin to solidify, use a rubber spatula to gently lift the side and let the top uncooked egg drain onto the bottom of the pan. Keep repeating until it is not possible to move any more liquid egg underneath.

To cook the other side, use a plate larger than the pan. Place it upside down on the pan and place one hand over it. Lift the pan and with one swift, yet steady flip, invert the omelette onto the plate. Slide it back on the pan ( uncooked side facing down, obviously) 

for a couple more minutes. 

Invert it back onto a clean plate to serve. 

Allow the Frittata to cool for 10 minutes, then garnish with some more fresh herbs. 

Slice into wedges. 

Eat it warm or at room temperature with a parsley pesto or a side salad! 

Buon Appetito!! 

What a delicious vegetable this turned out to be. 

Potato is one of our most favorite vegetable and I just happen to live in a country which loves its spuds. So much so that it is considered as the King of Vegetables! 

While the recipe says Sri Lanka, I find that quite a few components are similar to South Indian cuisine as well. 

The warming , fragrant spices bring in a huge comfort as soon as they hit the hot pan. Grinding them definitely intensifies and deepens the aroma and elevated the flavors. I highly recommend making this from scratch as every decent cook knows that grinding your own spices can make or break a dish. 

You can even make an extra portion and keep it for future use. 

Ingredients: 

2 cardamom pods slightly bruised

2” cinnamon stick 

4 or 5 curry leaves

1/2 a Pandan leaf torn, or two drops of Pandan extract 

1 large onion sliced fine

1/2 tsp turmeric powder 

1/2 tsp whole pepper 

1/2 teaspoon cumin powder

1/2 teaspoon red chili flakes 

1/2 teaspoon red chili powder

1 - 2 large green chilies slit lengthwise

1/2 teaspoon mustard seeds

250g potatoes boiled, peeled and cut into large chunks

Oil 

Salt to taste 

Method: 

1. Start by dry roasting cumin, cardamom and black pepper - to do this take a small pan, set it in a medium heat, once the pan is hot, add spices and let them toast for about 2 minutes. Remove from the heat, pour on a plate and let cool. Grind them into a coarse powder using a mortar and pestle. 
2. Now place a large pan over medium heat. Once the pan is hot add in the oil, 1 tablespoon. 
3. Add mustard seeds and wait for them to crackle. Then add curry leaves, onions and sauté until the onions turn into a lovely golden color. 
4. Once the onion slices turn golden, add turmeric, the dry ground spices, chili flakes, chili powder, Pandan leaves and the fresh, slit green chilies. 
5. Reduce heat add the cooked potatoes to the spices and mix everything together. 
6. Add water, cover and let it steam for a few minute. 

• Boiled potatoes are soft, the potatoes will break into smaller cubes as you mix them with the spices. It is recommended to cut them into larger chunks rather than small ones. 
• This vegetable pairs perfectly with Pol Roti ( you can find the recipe in the Breads section ) 

This one kicks a punch. I tried a couple of ways of cooking these greens but nothing really made me go in for seconds. They were just Meh. Something lacked. 

For me along with nutritional makeup, taste also plays a very important role. So what I’m sharing now is a definite keeper. 

The key to making this recipe flavorsome is to firstly create an aromatic paste which will form the base of our dish. 

Aromatics such as lemongrass, turmeric root, garlic, coriander stems, bird eye chilies are pounded roughly in a mortar and pestle. They are then fried until fragrant and the aromatics have been released. The Swiss Chard is then added and everything is gently stewed in coconut milk. 

Ingredients: 

A handful of coriander roots, stalks and a few leaves 

1 1/2” fresh turmeric root
4 - 6 cloves of garlic
3 - 4 red or green Thai bird’s eye chilies (adjust to your taste) 

4 - 5 shallots, sliced 

1 stalk of lemongrass, smash the end using a mallet
1 tbsp peanut oil
1 tbsp palm or coconut sugar
1 tbsp fish sauce
100 ml pure unsweetened coconut milk
10-12 Swiss chard, washed, stems separated and finely chopped, leaves, roughly chopped crosswise and then lengthwise. 

Method: 

1. Wash all the leaves and the stems of the Swiss chard really well and let them dry on a kitchen towel. 
2. Separate the stalks from the leaves. Finely chop the stalks and roughly chop the leaves. Keep aside. 
3. Wash the turmeric root and the coriander really well. 
4. Take a mortar and pestle and add the fresh turmeric root, coriander root, stems and leaves, garlic and the bird eye chilies. 
5. Pound everything into a rough paste. 
6. Heat the oil in a wok over medium-low heat. Add the lemongrass, shallots and the paste and fry for 4-5 minutes. 
7. Ad the stalks of the Swiss chard and fry for another few minutes. 
8. Add the green leaves mix and add palm sugar and the coconut milk. 
9. Stir well, bring to a simmer and let cook for 10 - 15 minutes until just tender. 
10. Add fish sauce and mix. Discard the lemongrass. 

Your dish is ready to be served! 

A warm bowl of freshly steamed brown or white rice - a perfect combo. 

Don’t have Chard? No worries. 

You can swap the vegetable for any other sturdy green like Kale, Beet greens or even Sweet Potato leaves! 

There must be something about Sri Lankan food. This is the  second recipe that I've  shared simply because of the variety of spices used, giving it afull bodied flavor explosion

This incredibly delicious Sri Lankan inspired curry is sure to stand out because of its warming spices and creamy sauce. Tucking into this comforting Polos curry will also give you an idea of how Sri Lankan food is parallel to its neighboring countries and yet it remaind distinctly different. 

In todays vegan culture Jackfruit’s trajectory is going way up because of its remarkable ability to mimic meat. It has gained its popularity as a replacement for meat in many recipes. 

But, you’ll be surprised to know that jackfruit has been around in Indian and South Asian cuisine since decades. Growing up in India in a mainly vegetarian household, my experience of Jackfruit was that I almost always mistook it to be lamb. Because mutton or lam was expensive, we cooked only on special occasions or Sundays. 

For cooking savory recipes, it is the raw, green jackfruit that generally is used. Jackfruit is particularly good as a replacement for pulled pork solely for its texture. Because of its neutral taste jackfruit takes on to all sorts of flavors and seasonings. 

To make things a bit more easier I’ve used canned jackfruit in my recipe. Also, I live in Europe where it is practically impossible to buy fresh jackfruit. All you have to keep in mind is to buy the ones canned in water or brine and not sugar syrup! 

Ingredients: 

1 can of jackfruit, in water or brine 

A few curry leaves

3 green chillies, slit 

1 large onion sliced finely 

1 tsp mustard seeds 

1 tsp turmeric powder

2 tbsp of chilli powder

2 tbsp curry powder

A stick of cinnamon 

2 cardamom pods, bruised 

1 tbsp white pepper 

2-inch piece pandan leaf

3 garlic cloves, minced

1-inch piece of ginger minced 

1/2 cup thin milk or 3 tbsp coconut cream, thinned out with water 

2 tbsp coconut oil 

Method: 

1. Drain the jackfruit and add it into a mixing bowl. To it add the turmeric, red chili powder, curry powder, pepper and salt. Give it a mix so that all the pieces are covered. Set it aside to marinate. 
2. In a medium size pan add oil and set it on low-medium heat. Add mustard seeds. After they start to splutter add the curry leaves, pandan leaf, onion, ginger, garlic and fry them until they release their aroma. About 3-4 minutes. 
3. Add cinnamon, cardamom and continue to cook until onions turn slightly brown. 
4. Add the jackfruit that has been marinating into this mixture. 
5. Combine while cooking over low heat for 5 minutes.
6. Add the coconut milk, cover with a lid and let it simmer over medium heat. Approximately 10 minutes. 
7. Take off the lid and continue cooking on a low heat until the coconut milk has reduced leaving just enough to coat the jackfruit. 

Give it a taste. Add salt if necessary. You can also spring more curry powder to intensify the taste and color. 

Serve with some freshly steamed rice or rotis. 

Deliciousness all the way!!!!