CASHEW NUT PAKORAS WITH GREEN DIPPING SAUCE (Makes 12)
Ingredients: For the pakoras: 100g cashew nuts; 1 red onion, thinly sliced; 1tsp chilli powder; 1 handful of fresh curry leaves; 1 green chilli, thinly sliced; 1 thumb-sized piece of ginger, finely grated; 3 cloves of garlic, finely grated; 1tsp (heaped) fennel seeds; 1tsp (heaped) cumin seeds; groundnut or vegetable oil for shallow frying; ½tsp bicarbonate of soda; 80g chickpea flour; 2tbsp ghee, softened; salt and black pepper
For the green sauce: 1tsp black mustard seeds; 1tsp cumin seeds; a bunch of coriander, stalks and leaves; half a bunch of mint, leaves picked, stalks discarded; 1 thumbsized piece of ginger, peeled and roughly chopped; 1 clove of garlic, peeled; 1 green chilli; 1tsp honey or agave syrup; juice of 1 unwaxed lime; 1tbsp coconut oil to serve: Lime-dressed salad leaves (optional) Method:
1. Put the cashew nuts in a bowl and cover with double the volume of hot water. Set aside.
2. For the green dipping sauce: Toast the mustard and cumin seeds in a dry frying pan until the cumin smells fragrant and the mustard seeds start to pop. Tip into a blender with the other ingredients. Blend until smooth (adding up to two tbsp of cold water to loosen if needed – it should be like thick yoghurt), then taste and add more salt, lime or honey to balance. Cover and set aside.
3. Mix the onion, chilli powder, curry leaves, chilli, ginger, garlic, fennel and cumin seeds in a bowl and scrunch. Season well with black pepper and salt and set aside. Drain the cashews and add to the bowl.
4. Put oil, 3cm deep, in the frying pan over a low-medium heat. Add the bicarbonate of soda, chickpea flour and ghee to the bowl along with 60ml of cold water and mix until it is a chunky batter.
5. Test to see if the oil is ready by dropping a little of the mixture into the hot oil. If it sizzles and rises to the top it is ready. Add tablespoons of the mixture to the hot oil, a few at a time. Fry for a couple of minutes each side. Drain on kitchen paper and continue until all the mixture has been used.
6. Season with a pinch of salt while warm and serve with the dipping sauce and some lime-dressed salad leaves if you like.