Chickpea Battered Veggies Recipe

Prepare vegetables

Wash and dry the broccoli; cut into bite-size florets (about 3 cups). Peel carrots and cut into 1/4-inch thick sticks or coins (about 2 carrots). Trim mushrooms and leave whole if small, or halve if larger (about 12). Peel and cut the sweet onion into 1/2-inch rings or wedges. Pat all pieces dry with a towel to help batter adhere.

Make batter

In a large bowl whisk together chickpea flour (1.25 cups), rice flour (1/4 cup), baking powder (1/2 tsp), ground cumin (1 tsp), ground coriander (1 tsp), kosher salt (1.5 tsp) and black pepper (1/2 tsp). Stir in minced garlic (2 cloves) and chopped cilantro (1 cup). Add cold water (about 1 cup) and lemon juice (1 tbsp) gradually while whisking to form a smooth, thick batter that coats the back of a spoon — consistency should be slightly thicker than pancake batter. If too thick, add tablespoons of cold water; if too thin, add a little more chickpea flour. Let the batter rest 5–10 minutes.

Heat oil

Pour neutral oil (about 1 cup) into a heavy skillet or pot so oil depth is about 1-inch for shallow frying. Heat over medium-high until oil registers 350°F (175°C) on a thermometer or a small drop of batter sizzles and rises to the surface immediately.

Batter and fry

Working in batches to avoid crowding, toss a portion of prepared vegetables into the batter to coat evenly (use a fork or tongs). Let excess batter drip off then carefully place coated pieces into hot oil. Fry 3–5 minutes per batch, turning occasionally, until batter is golden-brown and crisp and vegetables are tender when pierced with a fork. Smaller pieces (mushrooms, onion) will cook faster than broccoli stems. Use a slotted spoon to transfer fried pieces to a paper towel-lined tray. Keep finished batches warm in a single layer in a low oven (200°F/95°C) if needed.

Finish

Taste a piece and season lightly with a pinch of salt if desired. Sprinkle remaining chopped cilantro over the fried veggies for freshness and serve immediately with the yogurt dipping sauce.

While batter rests (or up to 30 minutes ahead), combine plain Greek yogurt (1 cup), finely chopped cilantro (1/4 cup), ground cumin (1/2 tsp), ground coriander (1/2 tsp), lemon zest (1/2 tsp), lemon juice (1/2 tbsp), salt (1/4 tsp), black pepper (1/4 tsp) and honey or sugar (optional 1/2 tsp) in a small bowl. Whisk until smooth and well blended. Taste and adjust seasoning — add more lemon for brightness, a pinch more salt if needed, or a touch more honey to balance acidity. Chill until ready to serve.