Crispy Chickpea and Herb Fritters with Yogurt Sauce

Crispy Chickpea and Herb Fritters with Yogurt Sauce

A little more work, and worth it: these are golden, crisp-edged fritters built from chickpeas and whatever tender herbs and scallions you have on hand, bound with a bit of flour and egg. They are good hot or at room temperature, and the cool lemony yogurt sauce ties them together. This is cooking from what is around, made into something you will want again.

You need

• 1 can (15 ounces / 425 grams) chickpeas, drained and rinsed, patted very dry
• 3 scallions, thinly sliced
• 1 small shallot, finely diced
• 1 cup loosely packed mixed soft herbs (parsley, cilantro, dill, or mint), finely chopped
• 1 garlic clove, finely grated
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt, plus more to taste
• 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
• 1 large egg, lightly beaten
• 1/3 cup (40 grams) all-purpose flour
• 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/3 cup (80 milliliters) neutral oil, such as canola or sunflower, for frying
• For the sauce: 3/4 cup (180 grams) plain whole-milk yogurt, zest of 1/2 lemon plus 1 teaspoon juice, 1 small garlic clove finely grated, 1/4 teaspoon salt, and a pinch of sumac or red pepper flakes if you have them

Method

1. Make the sauce first so it can rest. Stir the yogurt, lemon zest and juice, grated garlic, and salt together in a small bowl. Taste and adjust. Refrigerate until ready to serve. It keeps for up to 3 days.
2. Dry the chickpeas. Spread the drained chickpeas on a towel and pat them thoroughly dry. Damp chickpeas will make the fritters fall apart and steam instead of crisp.
3. Mash the base. Put about two-thirds of the chickpeas in a large bowl and mash them with a fork or potato masher to a coarse paste. Leave the rest whole for texture.
4. Mix the batter. Add the scallions, shallot, herbs, garlic, cumin, salt, and pepper to the chickpeas. Stir in the egg, then the flour and baking powder until the mixture just holds together when pressed. It should be sticky but shapeable. If it is too wet, add flour 1 tablespoon at a time.
5. Rest. Let the mixture sit for 10 minutes so the flour hydrates and the fritters hold together better.
6. Shape. Form the mixture into 12 patties, about 2 inches (5 centimeters) across and 1/2 inch (1 centimeter) thick, pressing firmly so they are compact.
7. Fry. Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium heat until it shimmers and a pinch of batter sizzles immediately, about 325 to 350 F (165 to 175 C). Fry the fritters in a single layer without crowding, 3 to 4 minutes per side, until deep golden and crisp at the edges. Adjust the heat so they brown without burning.
8. Drain. Move the fritters to a rack or a plate lined with paper towels and sprinkle with a little flaky salt while hot.
9. Serve. Pile the fritters on a platter with the yogurt sauce spooned alongside or drizzled over, and a few extra herbs scattered on top. Eat warm, or at room temperature within an hour.