Name: Onion-Studded Lentil and Split Pea Fritters with a Chunky Tomato-Nigella Sauce (Mung aur Chana dal ke Pakoday)
Yield: Serves 6
Cuisine: India
Ingredients: 1 teaspoon coarse kosher or sea salt; 2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh cilantro leaves and tender stems; 4 large cloves garlic; 2 lengthwise slices fresh ginger (each 2½ inches long, 1 inch wide, and ⅛ inch thick); ½ cup finely chopped red onion (see Tip); 6 fresh green Thai, cayenne, or serrano chiles, stems removed; 1 tablespoon mustard oil or canola oil; 2 red Thai or cayenne chiles, stems removed, gently pounded to release some of the seeds; 1 teaspoon nigella seeds; 1 teaspoon bishop’s weed; or ½ teaspoon dried thyme leaves mixed with ¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper; Canola oil for deep-frying; 1 large tomato, cored and finely chopped; 1 tablespoon crumbled or chopped jaggery or firmly packed dark brown sugar; ½ teaspoon coarse kosher or sea salt; ¼ cup yellow split peas (chana dal), picked over for stones; ¾ cup skinned split green lentils (yellow in this form, moong dal), picked over for stones

Preparation info

Serves
6

Difficulty
Medium

Appears in

660 Curries

By Raghavan Iyer

Published 2008

About

These fritters are not only addictive, they are also pretty to look at. A crispy crust encases a soft interior with slightly crunchy red onion and hot chiles; all of it is blanketed with sweet-hot tomatoes, making for one finger-licking appetizer. Don’t be put off by the fact that these are deep-fried, because they are not at all greasy—especially if your oil has not been recycled one too many times and its temperature is just right.