Zucchini-Lentil Fritters With Lemony Yogurt | view more Recipe

Zucchini-Lentil Fritters With Lemony Yogurt

'¾ cup whole-milk yogurt', '2 Tbsp. fresh lemon juice', '½ tsp. sugar', 'Kosher salt', '1 cup red lentils (masoor dal)', '1 medium zucchini (about 5 oz.)', '½ medium onion, thinly sliced', '1¾ tsp. kosher salt, divided, plus more', '½ tsp. Kashmiri chile powder or ¼ tsp. cayenne pepper', '¼ tsp. ground turmeric', '1 cup parsley leaves with tender stems', '1 Tbsp. finely grated lemon zest', '1 cup ghee or neutral vegetable oil'

Whisk yogurt, lemon juice, and sugar in a small bowl to combine. Season with salt. Do Ahead: Yogurt can be made 1 day ahead. Cover and chill. Rinse lentils, then soak in 2 cups water at room temperature at least 1 hour and up to 12 hours. (Soaking the lentils makes them tender and a lot easier to blend.) Meanwhile, trim ends of zucchini and cut crosswise into 3 pieces about 2" long. Cut each piece lengthwise into ¼"-thick planks. Stack a few planks and slice lengthwise into ¼"-thick matchsticks (about the size of a skinny french fry). Transfer zucchini to a colander set in a medium bowl. Add onion and 1 tsp. salt and toss to combine. Let sit until vegetables look wilted and softened and about 1 Tbsp. liquid has released into bowl, 30 minutes to 2 hours. Gently pat dry with paper towels to remove any excess moisture. Drain lentils and transfer to a food processor. Add chile powder, turmeric, and ¾ tsp. salt. Pulse, scraping down sides, until a purée forms. Transfer to a medium bowl and add zucchini and onion, parsley, and lemon zest. Toss with a rubber spatula to combine. Line a rimmed baking sheet with paper towels; set a wire rack inside. Heat ghee in a medium cast-iron skillet over medium-high until a pinch of batter added to the pan sizzles and sputters. Using a large spoon, scoop out about ¼ cup batter, then use a second large spoon dipped in the hot ghee to carefully scrape into pan; flatten with ghee-coated spoon. Repeat to make 3 more fritters. Fry until deep golden brown underneath, about 3 minutes. Turn over with a wide slotted spatula and fry until deep golden brown on the second side, about 3 minutes. Transfer fritters to prepared rack to drain; season immediately with salt. Repeat with remaining batter (you end up with 8–10 fritters total). Transfer fritters to a platter. Serve with lemony yogurt alongside.