Courgette & Cashew Bhajis with Coconut Slaw Recipe

Ingredients

1 courgette
1 lemon
75g white basmati rice
35g cashews
1 chilli
2 tbsp flour
1 egg
1 tsp Bombay spice mix
2 tsp coriander seeds
2 tsp black/mustard seeds
2 carrots
1 coconut
A handful of coriander
A thumb of ginger
150g yogurt
Sea salt
400ml cold water
Freshly ground pepper
2 tbsp olive oil

Prep: 20 mins | Cook: 30 mins

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Method

1. Grate the courgettes into a bowl. Stir in a good pinch of salt (this will draw out the water). Pile into a sieve placed over the sink or a bowl. Top with a plate and a weight, like a tin. Set aside to drain.

2. While the courgettes drain, zest the lemon into a small pan. Rinse the rice and tip it in. Pour in 400ml cold water. Add a pinch of salt. Cover. Bring to the boil, then turn the heat off and let the pan sit for 20-25 mins. The rice will absorb the water and cook.

3. Meanwhile, chop the cashews and half of the chilli. Tip into a bowl. Mix really well with the flour, the egg, a good pinch of seasoning and 1 tsp Bombay spice mix. Set aside.

4. Pour 2 tsp each of coriander seeds and mustard seeds into a pan and set over a medium heat. Cook for 2 mins, till toasted, then tip into a bowl. Use a veg peeler to peel ribbons of the carrots. Add to the toasted spices. Set aside.

5. Insert a skewer into an eye of the coconut. Shake out the water into a jug (drink it or add to curries). Wrap the coconut in a tea towel and use a hammer to crack it into as many pieces as possible. Coarsely grate the flesh off the coconut pieces and add to the carrots. Squeeze in the lemon juice. Season a little and toss together.

6. Finely chop the remaining chilli and fresh coriander. Peel and grate the ginger. Stir into the yogurt and set aside. Squeeze the courgettes to squeeze out as much excess water as possible. Add them to Bombay spiced batter. Stir to mix.

7. Pour 2 tbsp olive oil into a non-stick frying pan. Set over a high heat. Fry large spoonfuls of the bhaji mix for 4-5 mins on each side till golden and cooked through. Serve the bhajis with the lemony rice, coconut slaw and zingy yogurt.