What’s for dinner … simple baby marrow fritters
It’s Monday .... so who better to tell us what’s for dinner than Tammy Fry, founder of Meat-free Mondays and author of Made with Love and Plants.
Tammy Fry parents started The Fry Family Food Company, known internationally for its range of plant-based food products, and so knows all about living a plant-based lifestyle. She’s one of the top eight women changing the world through food, and is founder of Meat-free Mondays here and in Australia.
While we know many of our readers don’t embrace this plant-based diet, loads of us to try to cut down on the amount of meat we eat. This fritter recipe can be made with a variety of veggie and spice combinations. Tammy says they could almost be the fairy godmother of the kitchen … dress them up or down with a variety of garnishes or buns to make mini sliders … the options are endless. It’s a great way, too, of hiding veggies from fussy little eaters. The recipe serves four to six.
You’ll need:
8–10 medium baby marrows, washed and grated
3 spring onions, thinly sliced
1 tsp fine salt
2 heaped Tbsp cornflour
1 tsp dried oregano, rubbed
1 tsp freshly ground black pepper
1 tsp ground turmeric
1 tsp smoky paprika
2 cloves garlic, crushed
1 cup wholewheat flour or chickpea flour (besan) for a gluten-free option
¼ cup olive oil
To make:
Place the baby marrows and spring onions in a colander. Sprinkle over the salt and set aside for 10 minutes until softened. In a large bowl, mix the cornflour with 3 tablespoons of water until a smooth paste is formed (this replaces egg as a binding agent). Add the oregano, pepper, turmeric and paprika to the cornflour mixture.
Take handfuls of grated baby marrow and spring onions and squeeze to remove excess water. Place them in the bowl with the spiced cornflour mixture and add the garlic. Add enough flour to form a thick batter (this will depend on the type of flour used). Heat the oil in a non-stick pan. To test if it’s hot enough, drop a tiny ball of batter into the oil; it should sizzle. Drop spoonfuls of batter in the oil, pressing down lightly to form fritters.
Turn once or twice until both sides are lightly browned and crisped. Remove from oil and place on paper towel to drain. Garnish as desired and serve with a dipping sauce of your choice.
For more plant-based recipes (think carrot cake breakfast, cinnamond and walnut muffins, West African coconut curry), pick up a copy of Made with Love and Plants from your local book store. Penguin, R290.
