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'

  1. Whisk yogurt, lemon juice, and sugar in a small bowl to combine
  2. Season with salt
  3. Do Ahead: Yogurt can be made 1 day ahead
  4. Cover and chill
  5. Rinse lentils, then soak in 2 cups water at room temperature at least 1 hour and up to 12 hours
  6. (Soaking the lentils makes them tender and a lot easier to blend
  7. ) Meanwhile, trim ends of zucchini and cut crosswise into 3 pieces about 2" long
  8. Cut each piece lengthwise into ¼"-thick planks
  9. Stack a few planks and slice lengthwise into ¼"-thick matchsticks (about the size of a skinny french fry)
  10. Transfer zucchini to a colander set in a medium bowl
  11. Add onion and 1 tsp
  12. salt and toss to combine
  13. Let sit until vegetables look wilted and softened and about 1 Tbsp
  14. liquid has released into bowl, 30 minutes to 2 hours
  15. Gently pat dry with paper towels to remove any excess moisture
  16. Drain lentils and transfer to a food processor
  17. Add chile powder, turmeric, and ¾ tsp
  18. salt
  19. Pulse, scraping down sides, until a purée forms
  20. Transfer to a medium bowl and add zucchini and onion, parsley, and lemon zest
  21. Toss with a rubber spatula to combine
  22. Line a rimmed baking sheet with paper towels; set a wire rack inside
  23. Heat ghee in a medium cast-iron skillet over medium-high until a pinch of batter added to the pan sizzles and sputters
  24. 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
  25. Repeat to make 3 more fritters
  26. Fry until deep golden brown underneath, about 3 minutes
  27. Turn over with a wide slotted spatula and fry until deep golden brown on the second side, about 3 minutes
  28. Transfer fritters to prepared rack to drain; season immediately with salt
  29. Repeat with remaining batter (you end up with 8–10 fritters total)
  30. Transfer fritters to a platter
  31. Serve with lemony yogurt alongside