Gato piman

Name: Gato piman
Prep time: 30 min
Cook time: 25 min
Total time: 325 min
Yield: 4
Cuisine: Seychelles
Ingredients: 250 g dried red split lentils; 40 g wheat flour, added gradually; 80 g very finely chopped onion; 2 chopped garlic cloves; 8 g grated fresh ginger; 10 g washed, chopped fresh coriander; 1 teaspoon lightly crushed cumin; 6 washed, finely sliced food-grade curry leaves; A little fresh chilli to taste; ¼ teaspoon salt and pepper; Drinking water for soaking and, only if needed, 1 tablespoon for the mixture; About 1 litre frying oil; fill the pan no more than halfway

Small red-lentil fritters with cumin and herbs, crisp outside and tender inside. Makes about 20 pieces, four snack portions.

Ingredients

250 g dried red split lentils
40 g wheat flour, added gradually
80 g very finely chopped onion
2 chopped garlic cloves
8 g grated fresh ginger
10 g washed, chopped fresh coriander
1 teaspoon lightly crushed cumin
6 washed, finely sliced food-grade curry leaves
A little fresh chilli to taste
¼ teaspoon salt and pepper
Drinking water for soaking and, only if needed, 1 tablespoon for the mixture
About 1 litre frying oil; fill the pan no more than halfway

Preparation

Sort and rinse lentils, cover generously with drinking water in a clean covered container and soak refrigerated for 4 hours. Drain, rinse and drain in a sieve for 30 minutes in the refrigerator.

Chop the aromatics finely. Pulse drained lentils into a coarse paste with small grains, scraping down between pulses.

Mix lentils, onion, garlic, ginger, coriander, cumin, curry leaves, chilli, salt and pepper. Add flour gradually. Add the tablespoon of water only if still crumbly after mixing.

Shape about 20 fritters, 3 cm across and slightly flattened to about 1.5 cm thick. Keep waiting mixture refrigerated and start with a test piece.

Heat oil to about 165–170 °C in a stable pan. Fry small batches for about 5–6 minutes, turning, until evenly golden and cooked inside, without raw or floury lentil paste. Adjust to thickness.

Open the drained test piece to check its centre and adjust before frying the remainder. Drain on a rack or absorbent paper and serve warm with clean utensils. Yield: about 20 pieces, four portions of five.