Puha Pakoras

Actually you can make these from any foraged greens, but puha lends itself especially well. (And I like the alliteration.) If you are using big stalks of puha, while you wash it, bruise the stalks a bit to let the bitter white sap out.


You need
1 cup chana (chickpea) flour

1.5 tsp curry powder or cumin

½ tsp baking powder

½ tsp salt, or to taste

Big pinch chilli powder (optional)

2 cups foraged greens, finely chopped and loosely packed down.

2 tbsp grated onion

Water

Oil


To make
Whisk dry ingredients together.

Add greens and grated onion.

Mix to a very thick batter. If necessary, add water to moisten slightly - but only slightly! The dryer this batter the better. You should only need a few drops of water, if any.

Heat 1 cm oil in pan, on medium-high.

Dollop in small spoonfuls of batter, or mould small patties in your hands and drop in. (Keep hands wet if doing it that way.)

Turn and fry till golden brown on both sides.

Remove onto paper-towel-lined plate.

Serve with yoghurt and/or relish.

Makes a meal for 2 or a snack for 4.


If using bitter greens ...
If you're using very bitter greens - like older dandelion leaves or wild mustard greens - boil them for 5-10 minutes and then leave to drain before chopping them and adding them to the batter. (You may even want to press some of the moisture out, so you don't risk ending up with an over-moist batter.)