大象传媒

Rachel Ama’s Vegan Eats by Rachel Ama

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My grandma, who is from Saint Lucia, made the best fish fritters. My mum was completely addicted to them, so much so that as soon as she left college she and my dad planned to open a Caribbean restaurant in which my grandma would do the cooking. It didn’t come to fruition in the end, though my grandma’s cooking skills were unmatched. This is my take on her fish fritters but without the fish. Keeping my mum in mind, who is wheat intolerant, it also uses chickpea flour, which I believe really enhances the taste. I just love these little fritters. They’re packed with flavour and full of nostalgia for me too, as they’re so evocative of my grandma’s. Perfect as a snack on their own or served with a salad.

Makes 8 fritters

1 × 400g tin of jackfruit, drained and rinsed
3 tbsp soy sauce (or coconut aminos)
2 tbsp nori flakes
2 tbsp fresh lemon juice
1 onion, finely chopped
2 spring onions, finely chopped
2 large tomatoes, finely chopped
2 mild red chillies, deseeded and finely chopped
3 garlic cloves, finely chopped
1 tsp dried thyme
Handful of coriander, finely chopped
Handful of parsley, finely chopped
1 tsp baking powder
190g chickpea flour
120ml water
Vegetable oil, for frying
Salt and black pepper

To serve

Sweet chilli sauce
1 quantity of Kale and
Griddled Pineapple Salad (see page 65)

Using clean hands or a fork, break the jackfruit into small pieces, removing any tough stems, and then place in a bowl with the soy sauce, nori flakes and 1 tablespoon of the lemon juice. Mix well to combine, then cover the bowl with a plate and set aside.

Combine the onion and spring onions in a large bowl with the tomatoes, chillies, garlic, thyme and remaining lemon juice and then add the jackfruit mixture. Add the coriander and parsley and mix well.

Sift the baking powder and chickpea flour into a separate bowl, add the water, mix and season with salt and pepper before combining this with the jackfruit and onion mixture. The mixture should be slightly sloppy, so add a little more water if needed. Divide the mixture into eight and shape with your hands into small flat cakes, each about 1cm thick.

Pour a little vegetable oil into a large frying pan set over a medium heat. Carefully place as many cakes as will fit in a single layer in the pan without touching. Cook for about 5 minutes, until golden brown on the bottom, then turn over and cook for another 5 minutes until crisp and cooked all the way through. Fry the fritters in batches, using a little more oil as needed and keeping them warm on a baking sheet in the oven on a low heat. (Make sure that the oven isn’t too hot, or the fritters will dry out.) Serve with sweet chilli sauce and the kale and griddled pineapple salad.