Beetroot Pakoras

This weekend I was invited to a party and asked to bring an appetizer.  That news in and itself was thrilling and got my gears churning all week to figure out what to make.

I was told to stay within reasonable limits because it was to be served alongside a gratin dauphinois....
That completely blocked my gears.
All I wanted to do was make Lobia Pakoras with chutney and now I find out it has to go with a potato and cream casserole.  How in the hail am I supposed to make something that crazy happen?
Well, lets see.. since a gratin dauphinois is pretty heavy, I should make something light with vegetables.  Ooh beet pakoras!  PERFECT!
All I had to do was present them as beet fritters with cilantro "coulis" to make it sound local enough to psychologically be paired with whatever was going to be served.
After 2 days of trying to find a "French-ish" recipe that I could be proud of, I found the absolute perfect way to break the ice... Indian style.

Original recipe from Padma'sRecipes.

Yield 22 pakoras

Ingredients

1/2 cup toor daal, soaked overnight

1/2 cup chana daal, soaked overnight

1 medium beet, peeled and grated (about 1 cup)

1 large carrot, peeled and grated

1 green chile, finely minced

1 red onion finely minced

1 inch piece ginger, grated

1 sprig curry leaves

2 pinch hing

1/2 tsp salt

sunflower oil to fry

Directions

1.  Drain the daals and grind them with the hing, salt, and curry leaves into a paste.  It shouldn't be an evenly smooth paste.

2.  In a mixing bowl, stir together the dal paste and the vegetables.  Knead until everything is evenly distributed.  I pulsed my hand blender in the mix a few times to help it come together.  It should not be goopy or watery, but if you form a ball with your hands it should stay together.

3.  Heat the frying oil.  Make balls and press them tightly together.  Carefully drop the balls into the hot oil.  Do not overcrowd.  You should have enough oil to almost cover the pakoras.

4.  Cook 3 minutes, then flip and cook another 3 minutes.  They should be golden and crispy.  Reserve onto paper towels.

5.  Reheat if needed in the oven for 10 minutes so they keep their crispiness.

I served with a duo of Spicy Cilantro Chutney and Sweet Tamarind Chutney.

This was a great success.  Although they were fried, they were light and crunchy and went perfectly with both chutneys.  The Sweet Tamarind actually enhanced the flavor more than the Spicy Cilantro.. but I can eat that one by the spoonful whether or not there are pakoras or samosas!  I was asked for the recipe.  WIN!
I'm very happy I didn't listen to the "advice" about staying French.  If I have something on my mind, you can't ask me NOT to do it.  The human brain just does not work that way.