Spiced Carrot Fritters

These spiced carrot fritters are a great standby alternative to corn fritters for a weekend lunch or to freeze and bring out for weekday lunches. I nearly always have a carrot in the fridge or in the garden to use for this but you could equally make this recipe with grated courgette, beetroot or squash – or a mixture. You can also use red onions, brown onions or even leeks in place of the spring onions depending on what you have. And add a big handful of whatever herbs you have available, changing it up to alter the flavour.

1 medium carrots
1 chilli, de-seeded
2 spring onions
Handful fresh coriander or parsley
1 cup wholemeal flour
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp ground cumin
1/2 tsp fennel seeds
1 egg
1 cup milk
Olive oil

Peel or scrub the carrots and grate into a bowl. Finely chop chilli, onion and coriander, and add to carrots. Add flour, baking powder, spices, egg, milk and a pinch of salt. Mix well.

Heat 1 tbsp olive in a large non-stick pan over a medium-low heat. Add large spoonfuls of the carrot mixture and cook until golden on both sides. Transfer to a plate to keep warm. Repeat until all batter is used up.

Add carrot curls, lettuce, chopped hazelnuts, hummus and sweet chilli sauce to the fritters to serve. Or use whatever salad items and nuts you have to hand or use some dukkah. Change out the hummus for sour cream or ricotta cheese. Swap the sweet chilli sauce for a relish or harissa or tomato kasundi – whatever you have.