When it comes to cooking with apples, we almost always think of something for dessert. Rightfully so; it’s why apple pie is so iconic. Apples do, however, have the wonderful ability to work well in savoury preparations as we see often in German recipes involving pork and cabbage. Apples have a bright acidity without being too sour. It softens and balances dishes that are richer or those preparations which find benefit from a hit of acid. My Silk Road spiced apple fritters find inspiration from the beloved Indian snack, Pakoras. I have included spices like cinnamon, paprika, and cardamom to coax out interesting flavour aspects of the apple. In my recipe, I have called for a poblano pepper, one of my most beloved peppers, but if this is difficult for you to source, swap for a couple of jalapenos that have been completely de-seeded. If you prefer some real kick, leave the seeds where they are.
I like to serve this with some yogurt as a dipping sauce but feel free to enhance the yogurt with some chopped garlic, cilantro, lime juice, and a pinch of salt if desired.
Serving Size: 2 as a meal, 4 as appetizer
INGREDIENTS:
1 onion thinly sliced
1/3 cup (35 grams) sesame seeds
3 medium Granny Smith apples, unpeeled, grated or julienne
1 poblano pepper, julienne
4 large eggs
1 Tbsp finely grated fresh ginger
2 tsp each cumin, cardamom, and mustard seed
1 tsp each turmeric and paprika
Pinch of salt
1/3 cup (45 grams) pancake mix
½ cup vegetable oil
1/2 cup plain low-fat or regular Greek yogurt
DIRECTIONS
In a large bowl, beat the eggs and stir in the onion, apple, pepper, ginger, spices, sesame seeds, and salt and stir to combine. Sprinkle pancake mix over the mix and stir to combine; do not over-mix.
Heat oil in a non-stick pan to medium-high and drop ¼ cup scoops of the batter into the pan. Be sure to spread out the mixture so it cooks all the way through.
Serve with yogurt as a dip.
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Chef ILona Daniel is Harrowsmith's Food Editor and the founder of Tribe Fresh Events and Consulting, a purpose-driven insights consultancy accelerated by modern approaches to the hospitality industry, immersive experiences, and community and culture development. She has worked on projects around the world and is on the Board of Directors for the Tourism Association of PEI. Chef Ilona is a media personality, and a Culinary Instructor at the Culinary Institute of Canada.
