Buffy-Ellen Gill is the founder of Be Good Organics and this delish recipe from her features in Bronwyn Kan’s newly released recipe compilation WHOLE – Recipes for simple wholefood eating.
Buffy says, ‘Vegetable fritters are one of my favourite recipes to get people excited about plant-based food. They are very easy to make and can be served for lunch, dinner, or as finger food. These fritters are different from the norm as they don’t contain any egg, dairy or refined white flour.’
– 1 onion, diced
– 2 cloves garlic, crushed
– 2 Tbsp coconut oil
– 2½ cups (500g/17.6oz) corn kernels, fresh or frozen (2 corn cobs)
– 1 cup (100g/3.5oz) chickpea (besan) flour
– ½ red capsicum, diced
– 1 green or red chilli, finely chopped
– ½ cup (10g/0.4oz) basil, chopped
– 1 tsp sea salt
– ¾ cup (190ml) water
CASHEW SOUR CREAM:
– 1 cup (135g/4.8oz) cashews, soaked 2 hours, rinsed and drained
– ¾ cup (190ml) water
– Rind, juice and flesh of 1 lemon
– 4 tsp apple cider vinegar
– ½ tsp sea salt
TO SERVE:
Cashew sour cream, relish, cherry tomatoes, basil leaves, wilted spinach, pan-fried mushrooms, slow-roasted tomatoes
Pan-fry onion in 1 tablespoon of coconut oil until translucent. In a bowl, mix the onion with all remaining fritter ingredients, sifting in the chickpea flour and adding the water at the end to ensure there are no lumps.
For regular-sized fritters, use quarter-cup scoops of the mixture, and for nibble-sized, heaped tablespoons. Pan-fry in the remaining 1 tablespoon of coconut oil over medium heat for 3–4 minutes each side, until golden-brown.
For the cashew sour cream, blend all ingredients in a blender or food processor until silky-smooth, scraping down the inside of the blender a few times to get a smooth consistency. There should be no lumps of cashews remaining and the mixture should be completely smooth like a regular sour cream.
For nibble-sized fritters, top with dollops of cashew sour cream, relish, halved cherry tomatoes and extra basil leaves. To serve as a main, stack 3–4 regular-sized fritters before topping with the cashew sour cream, and then serve with wilted spinach, pan-fried mushrooms and slow-roasted tomatoes on the side.
Makes 9 regular or 15 nibble-sized fritters
Used with permission from WHOLE: Recipes for simple wholefood eating by Bronwyn Kan, Beatnik Publishing, RRP $44.99 (Hardback)
Featuring recipes from premier wholefood bloggers and entrepreneurs, WHOLE is a book born from the demands for better food. WHOLE explores the personal relationship between each contributor and the food they make. The recipes in WHOLE are simple, nourishing and in some cases, utilise only four or five ingredients making the recipes delicious and easy to prepare.
Images / Bronwyn Kan