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Two Hands holding a pita stuffed with red lentil fritters.

Red Lentil Fritters with Mint-Garlic Yogurt Sauce


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5 from 4 reviews

  • Author: erin wysocarski
  • Total Time: 1 hour 15 minutes
  • Yield: 2 large servings
  • Diet: Vegan

Ingredients

for the mint-garlic yogurt sauce

  • 1 cup plain or Greek vegan yogurt (I used Kite Hill)
  • juice from half a lemon
  • 2 TB chopped fresh mint
  • 2 cloves garlic, finely minced
  • a few pinches of salt

for a spicy sauce option

for the fritters

  • 1 cup dried red lentils, picked over and soaked for a few hours to overnight, then rinsed well
  • 1/2 cup chopped red onion
  • 6 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1 tsp cumin
  • 1/4 tsp smoked paprika
  • 1/4 tsp turmeric
  • 1/2 tsp salt
  • 1 TB olive oil
  • grapeseed, vegetable or canola oil, for frying
  • salt, for seasoning once fried

to serve

  • pita
  • 1 cup mandolined cabbage
  • large tomato, halved and sliced
  • 1 cucumber, thinly sliced
  • 1/2 cup hummus
  • chopped olives and/or cornichons
  • handful of fresh herbs like parsley, cilantro and/or mint
  • microgreens or sprouts

Instructions

to make either sauce

  1. Combine ingredients together, chill until ready to serve.

to make the fritters

  1. Grind the lentils in a food processor. Transfer to a large bowl and combine with the red onion, spices and olive oil. Chill for at least an hour for best results.
  2. Heat several inches of oil over medium to medium-high heat to 350 or 375 degrees in a small cast iron pot. The oil is ready (usually after 5 to 7 minutes) when you insert a chopstick into the oil, touching the bottom of the pot. If bubbles form around the chopstick immediately, you are ready to fry.
  3. Working in small batches of 4-5 fritters, form 1 tablespoon-sized fritters and carefully drop into the oil. Allow to fry a few minutes, or until golden all over. Use a skimmer to transfer the fritters to a baking sheet lined with paper towels or a cooling rack.
  4. Be sure to hit the piping hot fritters with a few pinches of salt.
  5. Repeat the process with the remaining batter.
  6. Serve immediately with the cool vegetables, hummus, herbs and sauce.
  • Prep Time: 1 hours
  • Cook Time: 15 minutes
  • Category: Lunch, Dinner
  • Method: Blended, Chilled, Deep Fried
  • Cuisine: Middle Eastern