Pithod and Bengali spiced vegetable cakes
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A duo of little snacks that are the perfect way to kick off any dinner party, this recipe matches deep-fried vegetable cakes full of earthy Bengali spices with pithod, a Gujarati snack made by combining thick yoghurt (or traditionally, soured curds) and gram flour to create a set batter that’s perfect for cutting into shapes and deep-frying. You can choose to make just one of the snacks if you wish, but we think they are perfect together. Best of all, both can be prepared in advance, then fried just before serving.
First published in 2021
Ingredients
Metric
Imperial
Pithod
- 210g of gram flour
- 345g of Greek-style yoghurt
- 60g of water
- 1/2 tbsp of ginger, finely chopped
- 1/2 tbsp of green chillies, finely chopped
- 1/4 tsp ground turmeric
- 1 pinch of asafoetida
- 1/4 tsp black onion seeds
- 1/4 tsp carom seeds
- 1/4 tsp fennel seeds
- 1 pinch of sea salt
- 1 tbsp of vegetable oil
Vegetable cakes
- 50g of ghee
- 1/2 tsp black onion seeds
- 1/2 tsp fennel seeds
- 1/2 tsp cumin seeds
- 2 bay leaves
- 1 onion, finely chopped
- 2 carrots, finely chopped
- 1/4 cauliflower, medium, finely chopped
- 125g of French beans, finely chopped
- 1/2 tsp red chilli powder
- 1/2 tsp ground cumin
- 30g of raisins
- 2 cooked beetroots, peeled and finely chopped
- 1 tsp salt
- 1/2 tsp caster sugar
- 2 potatoes, medium, boiled, peeled and grated
- 2 eggs, beaten
- 150g of dry white breadcrumbs
Spice mix
- 1 tsp coriander seeds
- 2 dried chillies
- 1 tsp cumin seeds
- 2 green cardamom pods, seeds only
To finish
- oil, for deep-frying
- Kasundi mustard sauce, mixed with tomato ketchup, or any chutneys or sauces of your choice
SAVE RECIPE
Method
1
To make the pithod, place all the ingredients (apart from the oil) in a saucepan and mix well. Place over a low heat and cook, stirring regularly, until the mixture thickens into a batter. Oil a tray with sides at least 3cm high and pout the mixture into it, levelling it out with a spatula if needed. Set aside to cool, then cover and place in the fridge to chill and set completely
- 210g of gram flour
- 345g of Greek-style yoghurt
- 60g of water
- 1/2 tbsp of ginger, finely chopped
- 1/2 tbsp of green chillies, finely chopped
- 1/4 tsp ground turmeric
- 1 pinch of asafoetida
- 1/4 tsp black onion seeds
- 1/4 tsp carom seeds
- 1/4 tsp fennel seeds
- 1 pinch of sea salt
- 1 tbsp of vegetable oil
2
Toast all the ingredients for the spice mix in a dry frying pan until fragrant, then blitz in a spice grinder or pestle and mortar. Set aside
- 1 tsp coriander seeds
- 2 dried chillies
- 1 tsp cumin seeds
- 2 green cardamom pods, seeds only
3
To make the cakes, heat the ghee in a heavy-bottomed wok. When hot, add the onion, fennel and cumin seeds along with the bay leaves. When they begin to crackle, add the onions and sauté until golden
- 50g of ghee
- 1/2 tsp black onion seeds
- 1/2 tsp fennel seeds
- 1/2 tsp cumin seeds
- 2 bay leaves
- 1 onion, finely chopped
4
Add the carrots, cauliflower and French beans and sauté for 4 minutes. Add the spice mix, chilli powder and ground cumin and cook, stirring, for another 2 minutes
- 2 carrots, finely chopped
- 1/4 cauliflower, medium, finely chopped
- 125g of French beans, finely chopped
- 1/2 tsp red chilli powder
- 1/2 tsp ground cumin
5
Add the raisins and diced beetroot, cook for a minute, then stir in the salt, sugar and grated potatoes. Continue to cook until evenly mixed and everything turns a reddish brown from the beetroot and becomes shiny from the ghee (around 3-4 minutes). Leave until cool enough to handle
- 30g of raisins
- 2 cooked beetroots, peeled and finely chopped
- 1 tsp salt
- 1/2 tsp caster sugar
- 2 potatoes, medium, boiled, peeled and grated
6
Divide the mixture into 8 equal parts (discarding the bay leaves), then shape into patties. Dip each one in the beaten eggs and then the beetroot, then place on a tray in the fridge until ready to cook
- 2 eggs, beaten
- 150g of dry white breadcrumbs
7
When ready to cook the snacks, heat a deep-fat fryer or deep pan of oil to 180°C. Cut the pithod into 1.5-inch squares (or any shape you wish)
- oil, for deep-frying
8
Working in batches if needed, deep-fry both the pithod squares and the cakes for around 3-5 minutes, until crisp and browned on the outside. Drain on kitchen paper and serve immediately with chutneys or ketchup
- Kasundi mustard sauce, mixed with tomato ketchup, or any chutneys or sauces of your choice
First published in 2021
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