Party Pakoras in 45 minutes

These party pakoras are an Indian-Mexican remix – the mellow paneer contrasts against tangy jalapeños and a sweet tamarind dipping sauce. Once you’ve mastered the method, the flavour combinations are endless

How to

1. For the dipping sauce, blitz the lime zest and juice, mint, sugar and salt with 75ml of water in a small food processor or blender until you have a paste. Tip into a jug, then whisk in the tamarind pulp and ketchup, and chill for 30 minutes. Mix together the sweetcorn, jalapeños, paneer, coriander and red onion until evenly combined, then set aside.

2. For the batter, tip the gram flour, amchoor, garam masala, turmeric, cumin seeds, salt and bicarb into a large bowl, then whisk together to combine. Add 140-160ml of water, whisking until you have a thick batter. Whisk in the ginger, then rest for 5 minutes. Tip the pakora mixture into the batter and mix to coat.

3. Fill a deep pan no more than a third full of sunflower oil and heat to 165C or until a cube of bread browns in 45 seconds. Use your hands to squeeze together a golf-ball-sized piece of the battered pakora mixture, then repeat with the rest of the mixture. Carefully drop the pakoras, in batches, into the hot oil and fry for 4-5 minutes or until golden and cooked through. If they start to fall apart in the oil, add a little extra flour to the mixture.