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Spicy courgette balls in tomato and coconut sauce
Serves MAKES 20 BALlS, SERVES 4 Starters and mains
Ingredients
- 700g courgettes
- 1½tsp salt
- 1 large red chilli, deseeded and finely chopped
- 1 small onion, finely chopped
- 2cm ginger, finely grated
- small bunch coriander, leaves removed and chopped
- 65g chickpea flour
- 90ml sunflower oil, for frying
For the sauce
- 1 medium onion, chopped
- 2cm ginger, grated
- 2 garlic cloves, chopped
- 1 red chilli, deseeded and chopped
- 2tbsp sunflower oil
- ¼tsp turmeric
- 1/8tsp chilli powder
- 1½tsp freshly ground cumin
- 1¼tsp freshly ground coriander
- 250ml coconut cream
- 300g tomatoes, peeled, deseeded and diced small bunch coriander, leaves removed (discarding stalks) and ½ of them chopped
To serve
- crisp, puffed pooris
Method
Using the largest holes in the grater, grate the courgettes into a large colander set over a bowl and sprinkle in some of the salt as you grate. Toss together and leave for 40 minutes.
Meanwhile, make the sauce. Put the onion, ginger, garlic and chilli and 3tbsp of cold water into a blender and purée. Heat the oil in a pan over a medium heat and add the turmeric, chilli powder, cumin and coriander. When it fizzes add the onion purée; it will spit a lot. Lower the heat a little and fry for about 6 minutes until all the liquid has evaporated and the onion has cooked.
Squeeze the courgettes a little so the juice runs into the bowl under the colander. Add about 150ml of this juice to the onion purée along with the coconut cream and cook gently for 20 minutes. Add the tomatoes and chopped coriander and stir.
Squeeze the courgettes again so that every last drop of juice comes out (save it to add to the sauce), and they are as dry as you can make them – otherwise it will be difficult to form the balls. Once you have done this it is important to make and fry the balls right away. Put the courgettes into a bowl with all the remaining ingredients apart from the oil. Mix well and form into 20 balls.
Heat the oil in a large frying pan on a medium heat and fry the balls in batches for around 2 minutes on each surface until seared and lightly golden in parts. Put onto a baking tray lined with kitchen paper to remove excess oil. When they are all cooked, place the balls into the sauce with the saved juice for a few minutes before scattering with the remaining coriander leaves. Serve with the crisp, puffed pooris.
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