An Amazing Pumpkin Peanut Pakora Recipe

The inventive food blogger, Annem Hobson has come up with a fantastic Desi treat for Halloween and Bonfire Night, Pumpkin Peanut Pakoras!

Her Pumpkin Pakoras are yet another creative take on East meets West which Annem regularly posts on her food blog, So Wrong It’s Nom.

Annem describes the unique treat as a ‘seasonal twist on a traditional dish’.

We are all familiar with the mouthwatering bite of a crunchy pakora. This recipe combines the tantalising childhood treat of pakoras with a delicious pumpkin centre encased in a peanut and gram flour batter.

They are then served with a homemade peanut chilli sauce for an extra kick. This is made with soy sauce, chilli flakes and generous spoonfuls of peanut butter.

Annem tells DESIblitz:

“With Halloween around the corner and Pumpkins in full season, I thought it would be interesting to try them out as traditional Pakoras. Turns out they are delicious!”

To try Annem’s fantastic Pumpkin Pakoras for yourself, take a look at the recipe here:

Ingredients

For the Pakoras:

• 300g pumpkin
• 100g of peanuts, crushed but not too finely.
• 120g of gram flour (chickpea flour)
• 1/2 tsp turmeric
• 1 tsp salt
• 1 tsp chilli powder (or to taste) or 1-2 fresh green chillies, minced.
• 1 tbsp. coriander seeds (crushed in your hands)
• Vegetable oil to fry
• 1 tsp of cumin
• Half an onion (optional)
• Chopped coriander

For the Peanut Chilli Sauce:

• 2 garlic cloves
• 1/2 tsp chilli flakes
• 1 tbsp. oil
• 2 tbsp. peanut butter, chunky or smooth.
• 2 tbsp. soy sauce
• 1 tbsp. white wine vinegar
• 1 tbsp. sugar
• 200 ml water
• Salt to taste

Method:

1. First, prepare your pumpkin. Cut in half and scoop out the insides. Peel the outside of the pumpkin and slice thinly into a large bowl.
2. Roughly crush your peanuts in a food processor. Add these to your pumpkin along with coriander seeds, chilli, turmeric, salt and chopped coriander.
3. Sift gram flour into the bowl and combine the ingredients with water. Make sure all the pumpkin slices are thoroughly coated.
4. Fry the pakoras in medium to hot oil (180 degrees C) for around 4-5 minutes.
5. Using a slotted spoon, drain excess oil and place them onto a kitchen towel.
6. Serve immediately with peanut chilli sauce.

To make the sauce:

1. Mince your garlic cloves and fry on a medium heat in a pan.
2. Add peanut butter and chilli flakes and allow to melt down.
3. Add remaining ingredients and mix.
4. Leave to simmer on a low heat until it thickens into a sauce-like consistency.

You can find a full recipe and instructions on how to make these delicious Pumpkin Peanut Pakoras on Annem’s food blog, So Wrong It’s Nom.

Annem regularly experiments with Eastern flavours, giving traditional Desi dishes a modern twist and vice versa! Try out her delicious pancake jalebi recipe, also know as a ‘Palebi’ here.

A great way to enjoy a savoury treat for Halloween, or even as a unique Desi snack for any occasion, the Pumpkin Peanut Pakora is a tantalising snack you must try!