Gram flour                                                    1lb/450g
water                                                           ½ pint / 475ml
salt                                                             1 teaspoon (to taste)
chilli powder                                                 1 teaspoon
whole coriander seeds                                   1 teaspoon
whole cummin seeds                                      1 teaspoon
dried fenugreek leaves (or ground)                 1 tablespoon, chopped
vegetables (onion, cauliflower, potato)           ½ lb/225g
cooking oil                                                  sufficient quanitiy for deep frying

To prepare the vegetables, separate the cauliflower into small florets and place in boiling, salted water with a bay leaf, for one minute. Drain and rinse under cold water. Boil the potatoes, drain them, remove the skins while still warm. When they have cooled, cut them into small dice. Peel the onion, and chop finely.

Sift the flour with the salt and chilli powder, add the chopped onions and fenugreek, the coriander, and cummin and mix together. Make a well in the centre of the mixture and pour in the water. Stir thoroughly till you have a soft dough - use your hands, it’s easier! Try for a consistency that’s not too runny - should sit briefly on a spoon. Gently mix the veg.

Leave the mixture to rest for at least 15 minutes.

Heat the oil to about 350°F. A cube of day-old bread should take about 25 seconds to turn golden brown at this temperature.

Take a tablespoon of the mixture and drop it gently into the hot oil. Turn it frequently so that it browns evenly. Once it is coloured uniformly all over (don’t worry if pale at this stage), remove from the oil with a slotted spoon, and drain the pakora on kitchen paper. Repeat the process until the mixture is completely used up. You can cook about 4 - 5 at a time without toomuch mess. Leave to cool then cook for a second time till nice n brown.

A good dipping sauce is 50/50 mix of tomato sauce and reggae reggae…