Baked onion and Courgette Pakoras

Ingredients:

• 2 medium zucchini, shredded
• 1 medium onion, thinly sliced
• 1 thumb-sized piece of ginger, grated
• a handful of chopped fresh cilantro
• 1 teaspoon cumin seeds
• 1/2 teaspoon fennel seeds
• 1/2 teaspoon red chili powder ( optional)
• salt to taste
• 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
• 6-7 tablespoons chickpea flour.

 

Preparation:

Preheat the oven to 190C and line a baking tray with parchment paper.
Grate the zucchini into a large bowl. Add the chopped onions to the bowl along with the coriander and spices. Now, using your hands, combine everything well. Keep squeezing the vegetables to release their own water. We want the water to help bind the pakoras together when we add the chickpea flour. Add the chickpea flour and keep mixing with your hands until you see the dough come together and hold it all together. It won’t be thick and it will seem to fall apart but don’t worry, it holds together very well.

Take a small portion with your hands and place it on the baking sheet and flatten it slightly. Continue until you have 6-8 pakoras on the tray.
Bake for 15-20 minutes, turning them halfway through the time, until they are nicely browned and crispy.
Serve with any chutney, pickle or sauce of your choice. They taste great with mint chutney or even tahini sauce.