Dig In, Buffalo! Pumpkin jalapeno pakora with basil lime dipping sauce blends sweet and spice

Pakora is a popular street food in India, often enjoyed with a cup of hot chai tea. The vegetables featured inside the crispy fritters change with the season and the batter’s spices are adjusted to match.

In this recipe, James Beard-nominated chef Steven Gedra – owner of The Black Sheep on Buffalo’s West Side with his wife Ellen – makes good use of winter pumpkins or squashes.

The Black Sheep’s menu is a compilation of comforting, approachable dishes reflecting the couple’s obsession with local ingredients and knack for global flavor profiles.

Making flavors work: Contrast equals big flavor! The sweetness of the pumpkin and earthy richness of the pakora’s deep-fried chickpea batter are contrasted by Gedra’s acidic and spicy dipping sauce. Textural contrasts work, too. The crispy jacket of the pakora and creamy, smooth sauce play against each other.

Be like a scout: Prep is the key to deep frying at home. Remember the oil requires 40+ minutes to heat. Have lined trays and other tools, like tongs and strainers, at the ready. It’s a quickly moving process, so being prepared is the way to achieve the best results.

Frying 101: Adjusting the temperature of the oil so it hovers at 350 F for the duration of the frying process helps to keep the fritters from burning. Crowding the fryer drops the oil temperature and results in soggy, greasy pakora. Cook the batter in smaller batches instead. Lastly, if you want to be sure you don’t sacrifice a single fritter to the fryer, remember not to walk away from the stove while they’re cooking in the oil.

Seasonal, seasonal, seasonal: Don’t be afraid to experiment! Almost anything can be bound together with chickpea flour and fried into a delicious fritter. Use seasonal produce and flavor profiles. It’s a delicious way to use up whatever may be languishing in your refrigerator’s vegetable drawer.

Pumpkin jalapeno pakora with basil lime dipping sauce

Batter

• 1 ½ cups chickpea flour
• 1 medium pumpkin, peeled, seeded and grated
• 1 medium white onion, thinly sliced
• 1 tsp. baking powder
• 2 tsp. salt
• 1 jalapeno, thinly sliced
• 1 tsp. fresh ginger, peeled and minced
• 2 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
• 1 tsp. ground turmeric
• Salt and pepper, to taste
• ¼ cup water
• Neutral oil, for deep frying

Sauce

• ¾ cup quality mayonnaise (a plant-based mayo works, too!)
• Handful of fresh basil leaves
• 2 tbsp. fresh lime juice
• 1 small jalapeno
• 2 cloves fresh garlic
• Salt and pepper, to taste

Garnish: Fresh basil leaves

Step 1

Add oil to fryer or deep dutch oven until it fills ½ to ¾ of the vessel’s depth. Begin heating to the optimal temperature of 350°F; this should take around 40 minutes.

Step 2

Make the sauce. Using a food processor, blend the basil, garlic, jalapeno, lime juice, salt and pepper until it binds together into a thick liquid. Add the mayonnaise and pulse until combined. Adjust salt and pepper. If making ahead, store covered in the refrigerator.

Step 3

Prep the vegetables. Bring a pot of salted water to boil. Working in batches, blanch the grated pumpkin by immersing it in boiling water for 1 to 2 minutes. Use a strainer to remove it from the pot and drain it on a paper towel-lined sheet pan. Set aside to cool.

Add the thinly sliced jalapeno, onion, garlic and minced ginger to the pot and blanch for 1 minute. Use a strainer to remove it and add it to the lined sheet pan.

Step 4

Make the batter. Transfer the drained and cooled squash, onion, garlic, jalapeno and ginger to a large mixing bowl. Add the chickpea flour and turmeric. Mix the flour in with the vegetables, adding water a little at a time to achieve the right consistency. The batter should be wet but not drippy. Add salt and pepper to taste.

Step 5

Ready your frying station and test fry. Set up a sheet pan lined with paper towels for draining the pakora as it comes out of the hot oil. Once the batter is ready and the oil in the fryer or dutch oven reaches 350°F, test fry the pakora batter by gently dropping a teaspoon of batter into the hot oil. Cook until golden brown, remove, and drain. Once cool, taste for seasoning. Add more salt or pepper if needed.

Step 6

Time to cook! Carefully and without crowding, batch fry the batter in ¼ cup dollops. Cook for 3 to 4 minutes until golden brown. Place each pakora on the lined sheet pan.

Serve the pakora with basil lime sauce served on the side or drizzled over the top. Garnish with fresh basil.

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