Spiced chickpea patties with coconut and curry leaf paste

Ingredients

  • 250g chickpeas, soaked overnight in water with ½ teaspoon baking powder
  • 1½ tbsp ghee, plus 100g extra for frying (you could use vegetable oil instead, but the end result won’t have quite the same rich mouthfeel)
  • 1 medium onion, peeled and finely chopped
  • 3 garlic cloves, peeled and crushed
  • 50g mung dhal, rinsed
  • 5 stems fresh curry leaves (10g)
  • 1½ tbsp coriander seeds, lightly toasted and ground
  • 1½ tbsp cumin seeds, lightly toasted and ground
  • 1 tsp dried chilli flakes
  • 50g coriander, finely chopped
  • 3-4 large tomatoes, quartered, seeds discarded, cut into 2cm dice
  • Finely grated zest of 1 small lime
  • 50ml lime juice
  • 120g gram flour (aka chickpea flour)
  • Coarse sea salt and black pepper

For the coconut and curry leaf paste

  • Coarsely grated flesh of 1 coconut (net weight 250g)
  • 1 medium onion, peeled and roughly chopped
  • 2cm piece fresh ginger, peeled and roughly chopped
  • 2 dried chillies, deseeded
  • 20g seedless tamarind pulp (or 1½ tbsp tamarind paste)
  • 2 tbsp sunflower oil
  • 1 tbsp yellow mustard seeds
  • 75g urid dhal, rinsed
  • ½ medium onion, peeled and thinly sliced
  • 2 stems fresh curry leaves
  • 400ml coconut milk
  • 1 tsp ground turmeric
  • 1½ tbsp lime juice

To serve

  • 120g Greek yoghurt

Method

  1. Drain and rinse the chickpeas, then pat dry, tip into a food processor and blitz until fine.
  2. Put one and a half tablespoons of ghee in a medium saute pan on a medium-high heat. Add the onion and garlic, and cook for five to six minutes, until soft. Add the mung dhal and curry leaves, cook for three to four minutes, until fragrant, then add the ground coriander and cumin, chilli, fresh coriander and a good grind of black pepper. Fry for 30 seconds, stirring constantly, then add 175ml of water. Mix well, cook for two minutes, then add the tomatoes. Saute for a minute, then remove from the heat and add the ground chickpeas, lime zest, lime juice and a tablespoon of salt. Mix well, then set aside to cool before forming the mixture into 80g patties that are 5cm wide x 1.5cm thick: you should have enough to make 12. Set aside in the fridge for an hour to firm up.
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  4. For the paste, put the coconut, onion, ginger, chillies, tamarind pulp and half a teaspoon of salt in the bowl of a food processor. Add 120ml of water, blitz to a thick, wet paste and set aside.
  5. Put a large saucepan on a medium heat with a tablespoon of oil. Add the mustard seeds and dhal, and cook for two minutes, until light golden-brown and fragrant. Transfer to a bowl, then return the pan to a medium-high heat and add the remaining tablespoon of oil. Add the onion and cook for three minutes, stirring from time to time, then reduce the heat to medium. Add the curry leaves, fry for a minute, then pour over the coconut milk and add the coconut paste and turmeric. Return the mustard seeds and dhal to the pan, mix well, bring to a boil, then simmer on a medium heat for 30-40 minutes, until thick. Transfer half the sauce to a food processor, add the lime juice, 125ml of water, and one and a half teaspoons of salt. Blitz smooth, then return to the pan and stir in the remaining sauce. Keep warm until ready to serve.
  6. Heat the oven to 190C (170C fan-assisted)/gas mark 5. Put a large frying pan on a medium-high heat and add 100g ghee. Toss the patties in the gram flour and fry in batches, so as not to overcrowd the pan. Fry for five to six minutes, turning halfway through, until golden-brown on both sides. Transfer to a plate lined with kitchen paper to drain, then put on a large baking tray. Repeat with the remaining patties, then bake for five minutes to warm through.
  7. To serve, divide the warm coconut paste between shallow bowls and top each serving with two or three patties. Serve with a spoonful of yoghurt on top and a wedge of lime.