Crispy Fried Lotus Root

Source: cookbook from Blue Elephant

Ingredients:

• 350g lotus roots, carefully washed, peeled and thinly sliced
• salt
• 1tsp red chilli powder
• 1,5 tsp turmeric powder
• 3 tbsp gram flour
• 3 tbsp cornflour
• Vegetable oil, to deep-fry
• 2 tbsp vegetable oil, to pan-fry
• 2 red onions, chopped
• 1 green chilli, finely chopped
• 1 red chilli, finely chopped
• 0,5 tsp chaat masala
• 2 tsp lemon juice
• 3-4 stems fresh coriander, chipped
• More fresh coriander and fresh red chillies cut into julienne (matchstick) strips, to garnish
• Salt, for sprinkling

Method:

Dry the lotus slices on kitchen paper and sprinkle them with salt, red chilli and turmeric powders. Leave for 2-3 minutes, then dust with a mixture of the gram flour and cornflour

Heat the deep-frying oil to 170C and deep-fry the roots in batches, until they are golden brown, about 1 to 2 minutes. Transfer to kitchen paper to soak up excess oil.

Heat 2 tbsp oil in a pan and put in the chopped red onions over high heat, adding the chillies after a few seconds. Toss fox for half a minute, then mix in the lotus root slices and remove from the heat. All the ingredients should be crisp and dry.

Sprinkle over the chaat masala, lemon juice, coriander and salt to taste. Serve hot with coriander and red chillies julienne and garnish.