Author Notes: This was the dish my mother always metaphorically referred to when describing the vast difference between my parents culinary preferences. She was a 23 yr old who proudly maintained that she ‘couldn’t care less to eat tasty food, so why bother to learn cooking’. (SHe grew up as the baby in a family with multiple female members all of whom were superb cooks). She was married off to my dad, a person who was a foodie 50 years before it became hip! When he felt like it, he’d have no qualms asking her to whip up a batch of these fritters at 11.00 p.m. & yes, she did make them, simply because he asked her.. She morphed in due course to become an awesome home cook and together, my parents singularly remain my culinary inspiration..My dad would have been 73 yrs old today, and would have brimmed over with pride at my passion for food, had he been alive. —Panfusine
Makes: about 20 – 25 pieces
Ingredients
-
20-25
Large spinach leaves, washed dried with the stalks attached
-
1
cup Chickpea flour (besan)
-
1
pinch Turmeric
-
1/2
teaspoon Baking powder
-
1/2
teaspoon Cayenne Pepper (to taste)
-
1
teaspoon crushed dried thyme (or finely powdered bishopsweed (ajwain))
-
Plain Seltzer water to mix the batter
-
Salt to taste
-
Oil for deep frying
Directions
- Sift the chickpea flour, cayenne, baking powder, ajwain, salt and turmeric in a mixing bowl. Add enough seltzer to make a thick batter (pancake batter consistency)
- Heat the oil in a wok until the oil begins to shimmer. Dip to coat both sides of the spinach leaves in the batter and drop them into the oil. Fry until the fritter turns a golden color. Using a slotted spoon or a spider skimmer, remove the fritters onto a plate line with absorbent paper.
- Serve warm with a cup of hot tea or coffee.