These fritters are easy, quick to make & taste very similar to falafel. They can be used to make many different meals & freeze well so they are good meal prepping. They are high in protein, gluten free & vegan. Serve with a simple yogurt sauce as a snack, with eggs as a toast replacement for breakfast, as part of a nourishing bowl with veggies, salad & hummus, as burger patties or a wrap filling, or my personal favourite with relish & melted cheese on top like a high protein cheese on toast. These patties have a little bit of a kick to them with the cayenne pepper. Reduce it or replace it for paprika if you don’t want the heat. This recipe uses butternut pumpkin which isn’t as moist as some other pumpkin varieties. If you do use another pumpkin variety, you may need to play around with the amount of chickpea flour you use.
Pumpkin is a rich in beta carotene, a phytochemical and messenger nutrient that also converts into vitamin A in some conditions in the body. With strong antioxidant capacity, beta carotene from food sources is protective against many cancers, particularly lung cancer. Pumpkin consumption may be protective against hypertension & type 2 diabetes. In addition, pumpkin is rich in vitamin C & B vitamins.
Chickpeas contain good amounts of molybdenum, manganese, iron, copper, magnesium & zinc as well as fibre. Fibre is the indigestible parts of plant foods, such as vegetables, fruits, grains, beans, legumes, nuts & seeds. Fibre keeps our digestive systems healthy & our microbiome diverse. When our digestive system is healthy it supports the other systems in our body, including the cardiovascular system, the nervous system & detoxification pathways. In addition, a diet that has adequate fibre is protective against diseases such as diabetes, heart disease and bowel cancer.
Makes 16 fritters.
Ingredients
1 ½ cup chickpea flour (otherwise known as gram or besan flour)
1 tsp cumin seeds
½ tsp cayenne pepper (optional)
½ tsp of baking soda
1 tsp garlic powder or garlic flakes
1 tsp salt
10 grinds of craked pepper
2 brown onions, peeled & grated
680g grated pumpkin
2 tablespoons chopped parsley
coconut oil, ghee or olive oil to pan fry
Instructions
Place pumpkin & onion in a bowl with 1 teaspoon of salt. Massage salt into pumpkin & onion. Let stand for 15 minutes. Some liquid will form, this is good, it will work with the chickpea flour to bind the patties.
If using garlic flakes grind both the cumin seeds & the garlic flakes together with a mortar & pestle until you have a rough powder.
Add chickpea flour, baking powder, spices & parsley to the onion & pumpkin & mix with wooden spoon until well combined.
Heat coconut oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Working in batches, drop a heaped dessert spoonful of mixture into the skillet, flattening & shaping slightly; cook for about 3 minutes per side. Transfer fritters to a paper towel-lined cake rack. Repeat with remaining batter, adding oil as needed.
Keep in fritters in the fridge in an airtight container for up to 3 days or freeze for up to 3 months. To reheat from frozen just reheat in 180C oven for 15 minutes until warm & cooked through. Or lightly pan fry to reheat.
Quick Yogurt & Mint Sauce
Ingredients
½ cup of yogurt
Zest of ½ lemon
Pinch of salt
1 garlic, minced
1 tsp of dried mint
Instructions
Mix well together until combined. Keeps in the fridge in a glass jar for 3 days.
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