Indian green fried tomatoes
Serves 4 as a starter or side
Spicy fried vegetables coated in chickpea batter are familiar to Indian food, and fried green tomatoes are fair game for a flourish of Indian spices too. Serve these hot with a squeeze of fresh lemon juice or Tomato Raita or Cashew Yogurt Sauce.
Tip: You can also use hard, red tomatoes in place of green; just don’t use them if they’re too soft and juicy as they won’t hold up during cooking
1 1/2 pounds green tomatoes (about 4 medium sized tomatoes)
3-5 tablespoons chickpea flour
Chickpea batter
½ cup plain soy milk (sweetened is fine to use)
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1 tablespoons chickpea flour
1/2 teaspoon ground turmeric
pinch salt
Breadcrumb coating
1 teaspoon black mustard seeds
2/3 cup fine breadcrumbs
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon ground cumin
1/4 teaspoon ground cayenne pepper
Peanut oil or vegetable oil for frying. For a special treat try frying them in coconut oil.
1. Remove the cores from tomatoes and slice into 1/4 inch thick rounds. Spread them in a single layer on a plate and sprinkle with a little bit of salt. In a wide, shallow bowl or a pie plate whisk together the chickpea batter ingredients. If your using the black mustard seeds, heat a dry skillet or wok over medium high heat, add mustard seeds and cook until they begin to pop. Immediately pour the seeds into a large dinner plate, add the remaining breadcrumb coating ingredients and stir to combine.
2. Preheat a cast iron skillet over medium high heat, then spread about 2 teaspoons of oil over the surface. With one hand dust dip both sids of a tomato slice in chickpea flour and shake away any excess flour. Dip the slice into the chickpea batter, shake off any extra batter and drop into the breadcrumbs. Then with the other hand (the one that didn’t touch the batter), sprinkle some of the breadcrumb mixture over the top and turn the slice over, pressing into the crumbs. Remove the slice and place into the hot pan; repeat with 2-3 more slices, frying them together but taking care not to overcrowd the pan. Fry on each side for 3-4 minutes or until golden brown; use a thin spatula to flip the slices and move them around the pan occasionally for even cooking. Dribble into the pan additional teaspoons of oil as needed if the slices are looking too dry or not browning evenly. Repeat the breading and frying the remaining slices. Serve tomatoes hot.
