It’s hard NOT to love an ingredient that’s been fritter-fied. This one’s inspired by traditional Indian flavors, and stars chickpeas, mashed, then mixed with a light, curry-spiced tempura batter. Shallow-fried pancake-style until crispy, the fritters then get paired with our favorite accompaniments: fluffy rice pilaf with spinach, pickled raisins, and a drizzle of creamy garlic sauce. Now, try to get a little bit of everything on your fork at once to create the perfect bite!
It’s hard NOT to love an ingredient that’s been fritter-fied. This one’s inspired by traditional Indian flavors, and stars chickpeas, mashed, then mixed with a light, curry-spiced tempura batter. Shallow-fried pancake-style until crispy, the fritters then get paired with our favorite accompaniments: fluffy rice pilaf with spinach, pickled raisins, and a drizzle of creamy garlic sauce. Now, try to get a little bit of everything on your fork at once to create the perfect bite!
• Wash and dry produce.
• Halve, peel, and finely dice onion until you have 1 cup; mince remaining onion until you have 2 TBSP and set aside in a medium bowl for Step 4. (For 4 servings, finely dice whole onion; mince diced onion until you have 4 TBSP.) Trim and thinly slice scallions, separating whites from greens. Roughly chop spinach. Quarter lemon. Peel and mince garlic. Drain and rinse chickpeas.
Open package of chicken* and drain off any excess liquid. Season all over with salt and pepper. Heat a drizzle of oil in a large pan over medium-high heat. Add chicken or sausage*; cook, stirring frequently, until cooked through, 4-6 minutes. Turn off heat; transfer to a plate. Wipe out pan.
• Melt 1 TBSP butter in a small pot over medium-high heat (use 2 TBSP butter and a medium pot for 4 servings). Add diced onion, scallion whites, cashews, and a pinch of salt. Cook, stirring, 1 minute.
• Stir in rice, stock concentrate, 3⁄4 cup water (11⁄2 cups for 4), and a big pinch of salt. Bring to a boil, then cover and reduce heat to low. Cook until rice is tender, 15-18 minutes. Turn off heat.
• Add spinach. Cover until wilted, about 2 minutes; stir to combine.
• While rice cooks, place raisins in a small bowl (roughly chop any large raisins if necessary). Add juice from one lemon wedge (two wedges for 4 servings), a pinch of salt, and just enough hot water to cover. Set aside to pickle.
• In a separate small bowl, combine sour cream, yogurt, a squeeze of lemon juice, and a pinch of garlic to taste. Add water 1 tsp at a time until mixture reaches a drizzling consistency. Season with salt and pepper.
• Add chickpeas to bowl with minced onion. Mash chickpeas with a potato masher or fork until almost smooth. (It’s OK if there are still some larger pieces.)
• Stir in tempura batter mix, scallion greens, remaining garlic, 1/3 cup water (2/3 cup for 4 servings), and 2 tsp curry powder (4 tsp for 4; be sure to measure) until evenly combined. Season with salt (we used 3⁄4 tsp; 11⁄2 tsp for 4) and pepper. TIP: Batter should be thick but not dry—add more water 1 TBSP at a time if necessary.
• Heat a 1/3-inch layer of oil in a large, heavy- bottomed pan over medium-high heat. Once oil is hot enough that a drop of batter sizzles when added to the pan, add 1⁄4-cup scoops of batter. (TIP: You may need to work in batches. Carefully drop your batter close to the oil to avoid splatter.) Cook until golden brown and crisp, 3-4 minutes per side.
• Using a slotted spoon, transfer fritters to a paper-towel-lined plate. Season with a pinch of salt.
Use pan used for chicken or sausage here.
• Divide rice pilaf between plates and top with chickpea fritters. Drizzle with creamy garlic sauce and as many pickled raisins (draining first) as you like. Serve with any remaining lemon wedges on the side.
Top rice pilaf with chicken or sausage along with chickpea fritters.
Chicken is fully cooked when internal temperature reaches 165°.
Servings 2
Serving Size 2
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet. Your daily value may be higher or lower depending on your calorie needs.
