Besan Curry
Submitted by ALBYAI2
Crispy chickpea flour fritters simmered in a spiced potato curry with tomatoes, ginger, cumin, and turmeric. A vegetarian Indian side dish that cooks in 15 minutes once the prep is done. Warm, fragrant, and deeply satisfying.
YIELD
4 servingsPREP
30 minCOOK
15 minREADY
45 minIn Indian home kitchens, besan (chickpea flour) is one of those pantry staples that can become almost anything, and this curry shows off one of its cleverest tricks.
Small spoonfuls of seasoned besan batter get fried into golden, crispy little fritters, then dropped into a quick-cooking potato curry spiced with cumin, coriander, turmeric, and mustard powder.
Fresh ginger and tomatoes round out the sauce with brightness and warmth.
The fritters soak up the spiced gravy just enough to go tender on the outside while keeping a slight chew at the center.
Serve it warm alongside rice or roti and let the spices do the talking.
Chef Tips
- Keep the besan batter thick. If it’s too thin, the fritters will fall apart in the oil instead of holding their shape.
- Don’t add the fried besan fritters until the potatoes are nearly soft. They only need a few minutes in the curry to absorb flavor without turning mushy.
- Fresh ginger makes a real difference here. Dried ground ginger won’t give you the same sharp, peppery bite.
- This works beautifully as a side dish with dal and rice for a full vegetarian Indian meal.
Ingredients
Directions
Mix chickpea flour with a little bit of water at a time, until you have a thick batter.
Add salt and garlic powder.
Put a skillet over a low heat and heat oil.
Drop ½ teaspoon of batter at a time into the oil.
When it turns golden brown, it it done and with a srainer pick up the besan and put it on a dry pan.
Cut potatoes in small pieces and put them in a bowl.
Chop onion up and sauté with 1 tablespoon of leftover oil.
Add coriander, cumin, turmeric, and mustard powders.
Add potatoes and mix thoroughly.
Add ¼ cup of water.
Cut ginger into very small pieces and add to the curry.
While the curry is cooking, cut the tomato and add to the pan.
Put cover on.
When potato feels soft, add fried besan to the curry.
Add salt.
The time you drop the potato in the pan to the time you drop the fried besan into the pan should not be more then 15 minutes.
As always, in Indian cooking it is the preparation that takes time, not the cooking itself.
Serve warm as a side dish.
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