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Nadru monje
Lotus stem fritters
نَدرٕ مۄنٛجہٕ: Kashmiri lotus-stem fritters in a spiced rice-flour batter
On cold Srinagar evenings the stalls around Dal Lake and in the old city fry nadru monje, thin slices of lotus stem dipped in a rice-flour batter reddened with Kashmiri chilli and fried until crackling. They are eaten hot from paper with a sharp walnut or radish chutney, and turn up at home with noon chai when guests drop in. The lotus stem stays crunchy inside the crisp batter. The most common mistake is skipping the boiling step; raw lotus stem is woody and can carry mud in its holes, so scrub and part-cook it first. Chef's tip: slice on a slant about 3 mm thick so the batter clings and the lacy holes show.
- Total time
- 35 min
- Difficulty
- easy
- Serves
- 4
Ingredients
For the fritters
- 10 ½ oz lotus stem (nadru)peeled
- 2 ⅞ oz rice flour
- 1 tsp ground fennel
- 1 pinch gluten-free asafoetida (hing)
- ¾ tsp salt
- ½ cup water
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Method
0/5 doneStep 1: Scrub 10 ½ oz lotus stem (nadru) under running water, flushing the holes, then slice on the diagonal about 3 mm thick.
5 minStep 2: Boil the slices in salted water for 5 minutes until just tender but still crunchy. Drain and pat dry on a towel.
7 minStep 3: Whisk 2 ⅞ oz rice flour, 2 tsp Kashmiri red chilli powder, 1 tsp ground fennel, ½ tsp ground dry ginger (sonth), 1 pinch gluten-free asafoetida (hing) and ¾ tsp salt with ½ cup water into a thick batter that coats a spoon. Toss the lotus slices in it.
3 minStep 4: Heat 2 cups mustard or sunflower oil for frying in a deep kadhai, no more than a third full, over medium-high heat. Test with a drop of batter: it should rise sizzling in 2–3 seconds (about 350°F). Never leave the oil unattended.
5 minStep 5: Fry the slices in small batches for 3–4 minutes, turning once, until deep red-gold and crisp. Drain on paper and serve at once.
10 min
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 220 kcal
- Protein
- 3 g
- Carbs
- 30 g
- Fat
- 10 g
- Fibre
- 3 g
Nutrition values are estimates.
KrazyBadal
Good to know
- How long does nadru monje take?
- About 35 minutes in total: 15 minutes to prepare and 20 minutes to cook.
- How many people does it serve?
- 4 as written. Change the servings above the ingredients and every amount scales to match.
- Is it vegan?
- Yes. It has no meat, fish, dairy or eggs.
- Is it gluten free?
- Yes, as written. Check the labels on stock, sauces and spice mixes, which sometimes contain gluten.
- What can I use instead of kashmiri red chilli powder?
- Cayenne, half the amount (hotter).
- What can I use instead of gluten-free asafoetida (hing)?
- A pinch each of garlic powder and onion powder (asafoetida stands in for onion and garlic).
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