Recipes

Vegetable pakoras with roasted apple chutney

A zero-waste recipe using vegetable trimmings. These vegetable pakoras are a brilliant way to use up surplus veg and are served with a sweet roasted apple chutney for balance. Perfect as a snack, starter or sharing plate.

Ingredients

Vegetable pakoras (Serves 4)

1 large broccoli stalk, peeled and finely sliced
½ courgette, finely diced
100g cauliflower, finely chopped
150g cooked chickpeas, roughly chopped
1 green chilli, finely diced (optional)
Small bunch coriander stalks, finely chopped
1 tsp fine salt (for the broccoli only)
1 tsp chat masala
1 tsp ground turmeric
1 tsp paprika
1 tsp mild curry powder
1 tsp nigella seeds
½ tsp caraway seeds
80–100g gram flour (chickpea flour)
Vegetable oil, for frying

Roasted apple chutney

3–4 apples (bruised is fine)
30g butter
1 small onion, finely diced
2 garlic cloves, sliced
1 tsp fresh ginger, grated
1 small red chilli, finely chopped (optional)
2 tbsp mango chutney
Spring onion tops, finely sliced

Method

Peel the broccoli stalk to remove the fibrous outer layer, then slice finely. Sprinkle with salt, mix well and leave for 1 hour to draw out moisture. Squeeze dry before using.
In a large bowl combine the broccoli, courgette, cauliflower, chickpeas, chilli and coriander stalks. Add the spices and seeds and massage well.
Stir in the gram flour until the mixture just binds together. It should hold its shape without feeling heavy or wet.
Heat oil to 170°C. Shape the mixture into small flat patties and fry in batches for 3–4 minutes, turning until golden and crisp.
For larger pakoras or batch cooking, finish in a 180°C oven for 5 minutes to ensure the spices are fully cooked.
Roast the whole apples at 200°C until soft and deeply coloured. Remove any hard stalks but the skins and pips can remain.
Melt the butter in a pan and cook the onion until soft. Add the garlic, ginger and chilli and cook until lightly golden.
Stir in the mango chutney and add the roasted apples. Blend until smooth to make the chutney.

To Serve

Serve the hot pakoras with a generous spoon of roasted apple chutney on the side and garnish with sliced spring onions if you have them.

This recipe works with almost any surplus veg, including cauliflower leaves, carrot trimmings, spring onion ends or leftover herbs. A simple, flexible dish that turns scraps into something special.