Sorrel Pakoras

When I first thought of making pakoras with sorrel, I did a search to see if there was already such a thing. And while they don't seem common, there are recipes for sorrel pakoras out there. However, they struck me as a bit odd, especially when I looked at the photos, and I soon realized that they were not being made with sorrel as I know it. Eventually I figured it out - it's what gets called sorrel in the Caribbean; a kind of hibiscus.

Well, never mind. It turns out that the local (French or garden) sorrel makes perfectly cromulent pakoras. I really like the tart zing of sorrel in these little fritters, and a slightly sweet chutney would really set them off.

10 to 14 pakoras
20 minutes prep time

Mix the Batter:
1/2 teaspoon cumin seeds
1 teaspoon coriander seeds
1/4 teaspoon (or to taste) ground hot red chile
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup chick pea flour
1/3 cup water, about

Grind the spices together - I find it helpful to do it with the salt. Mix them into the flour in a mixing bowl. Whisk in the water to form a smooth, soft batter.

Finish the Pakoras & Fry Them:
125 grams (1/4 pound) fresh French sorrel leaves
sufficient oil to fry

Put a kettle of water on to boil. Wash and trim the sorrel, and chop it coarsely. Put it in a strainer, and when the water boils, pour it over the sorrel to wilt it evenly.

Run the sorrel under cold water to cool it, then squeeze it until it is reasonably dry. (It will be much harder to squeeze than spinach, so just do what you can.) Mix it into the batter. You want to have a very soft but not drippy batter; add a little more chick pea flour or water if needed to achieve that.

Heat enough oil in a heavy skillet to cover the bottom of the pan very generously. Dollop out the batter in tablespoons and fry the patties over medium heat until crisp and brown on each side; about 3 minutes per side. I have an aebelskiver pan - meant for making apple pancake/doughnuts - and it made very neat little round pakoras. There is no reason they would not cook just as well in a skillet, though.

Serve them hot. I would like them with the Apple Butter Chutney I used here, but I was pressed for time and just served them with a little mayonnaise. Mayonnaise mixed with some chile-garlic sauce would have been better. Other prepared chutneys would be fine, too.





Last year at this time I made Turkey Sorrel Rolls. Yes, sorrel is definitely becoming a staple at this time of the year when there are not too many local vegetables available. 

Posted in: Ontario Food