In the bag: Welsh Glamorgan Pakora

As I mentioned yesterday, every month food blogger A Slice of Cherry Pie hosts a competition called In the bag to come up with a recipe using seasonal ingredients. The seasonal ingredient in the bag for March are leeks. As a Welsh girl how could I resist, as well as the fact that I have some growing at my plot. Also in the bag are some eggs and cheese. So here is my entry which also incorporates flavours from my South Asian heritage - Welsh Glamorgan pakoras.

Well why not, we have all heard of the Scottish haggis pakora, but not the Welsh Glamorgan pakora. So here it made with leeks, Caerphilly cheese and some spices. Enjoy!!!
I tweaked with the traditional Glamorgan sausage recipe, adding spices in place of the mustard powder, and instead of making sausage shapes, I formed the mix into small balls about the size of a golf ball, which are then dipped in a chickpea batter. Please, please don’t attempt to make those monstrous things called bhaji’s – the size of a baseball, they are never satisfying and most always tend to be raw on the inside. Not good for the belly either.
Welsh Glamorgan Pakora bites recipe Makes 12
Ingredients
150 - 200g Gram flour
Salt to taste
Generous pinch of cayenne pepper or chilli powder
Cold water

110g Caerphilly cheese, cheddar will also work well, cut into small cubes
1 teaspoon of mixed dried herbs
150g fresh white or wholemeal breadcrumbs
1 leek, finely sliced or minced
1 – 2 fresh green chilli, minced
1 teaspoon cayenne or chilli powder
1 teaspoon of cumin seeds
1 large egg, beaten
Salt to taste

First make the batter: Add salt and cayenne or chilli to the gram flour, then add enough water until you achieve a good dipping consistency. Let it sit for 10 minutes.

In the meantime: make the pakora bites: Place 150g breadcrumbs in a large mixing bowl along with the leeks and cheese. Then add the herbs, cumin seeds, minced chilli, spices and seasoning of salt. Now add the egg and stir to bind together. I tend to use my hands. Then divide the mixture into 12 equal portions and then using your hands roll each piece into the shape of a golf ball, squeezing gently to hold it together.

Now dip in batter

Coat the balls evenly in the gram flour batter.

Too cook the pakora bites, deep fry in a large pan for about 6 minutes till all sides are crisp and golden. These can be made in advance, and reheated in the oven

To serve: dip pakoras in natural yogurt. Yum - what a success! Why had I not thought of these before? So here goes, let see what you all think?