Use sweet peppers to make these flavourful pakoras. They’re traditionally made for the Indian festival, Holi, stuffed with spiced potatoes
Prep:20 mins
4 as a snack
300g potatoes, Maris Piper or King Edwards, peeled and quartered1 tsp fennel seeds½ tsp Kashmiri chilli powder2 tsp dried mango powder (amchoor)1 tsp ground coriander1 green chilli, chopped, with the seeds left in¼ tsp coarsely ground black peppercorns
STEP 1Boil the potatoes in lightly salted water for about 15 mins, or until tender, then drain in a colander, tip back into the pan and coarsely crush with a fork.STEP 2Heat a small heavy-bottomed frying pan and toast the fennel seeds for about 30 seconds, stirring all the time, until they release their aroma. Use a pestle and mortar to grind the seeds to a powder.STEP 3Stir the ground fennel seeds, chilli powder, mango powder, ground coriander, green chilli and peppercorns into the crushed potatoes.STEP 4Cut the peppers in half lengthways and use a spoon to scoop out the seeds. Fill each cavity with some of the spiced potato mixture and set aside.STEP 5Sieve the gram flour and salt into a bowl and stir in just enough cold water to make a smooth batter – aim for the consistency of double cream.STEP 6Heat the oil in a wok or karahi to 180°C, or test the temperature by dropping in a cube of bread – when it browns in 30 seconds, it’s ready. Dip the filled pepper halves in the batter, then deep-fry in batches for 3-5 mins until golden. Drain the pakoras on kitchen paper, sprinkle with salt, and serve straightaway with coriander relish.
