Autumn is a great time to add some more plant-based recipes to your usual light lunch options before the indulgences of the festive period begin. This is a recipe from our 5:2 well-being evening at Marram trading last night. Coming in at around 250 calories per serving, this dish works well as part of an Intermittent Fasting Plan or purely to boost your nutrients with tasty, simple eating. More 5:2 recipes in my newsletters which you can subscribe to on this website.
2 tsp cumin seeds
1½ tsp chilli flakes
250g Greek yogurt
1 tbsp maple syrup
120g spelt flour (white or wholegrain)
½ tsp baking powder
170ml rice, oat or dairy milk
1 medium free-range egg, lightly beaten
400g tin chickpeas, drained and rinsed
2 tblsp of sweetcorn
1 small red onion, finely chopped
2 Small handfuls each of fresh mint, coriander or basil, finely chopped
1 tsp sea salt
Olive or vegetable oil for frying
1 spring onion, sliced diagonally
Extra-virgin olive oil for drizzling
How to:
In a dry frying pan, gently fry the cumin seeds over a medium heat until aromatic. Set half aside, then pound the rest to a powder in a pestle and mortar. In a bowl, combine the ground cumin, chilli flakes, yogurt, maple syrup and a good pinch of sea salt. Set aside.
Put the flour and baking powder in a large bowl and slowly whisk in the milk and beaten egg until well combined with no lumps. Stir in the chickpeas, sweetcorn, red onion, most of the herbs, the remaining whole cumin seeds, 1 tsp sea salt and a few grindings of black pepper.
Drizzle 1 tbsp olive or vegetable oil into a large, non-stick frying pan and set over a medium-high heat. When hot, add 2 tbsp batter for each fritter and flatten into little rounds. Fry in batches, without overcrowding the frying pan, for 5-7 minutes, turning once, until the fritters are golden and cooked through. Add more oil between batches if needed.
To serve, pile the fritters up on serving plates and scatter over the sliced spring onion, remaining herbs and sea salt to taste. Drizzle over some extra-virgin olive oil, spoon the yogurt mixture over the top or put it in a bowl on the side. I served this with a green salad and a sweetcorn salsa.