Adapted from Bon Appetit. See above for my recommendations on what to serve this with!
Servings 8fritters (about 2 fritters/person)
Ingredients
1large (about 7-8 ounces)zucchini, ,sliced super thinly with mandolin (super thin) and mathsticked
1cupred lentils, , soaked for at least 45 minutes (ideally 60 minutes)
1/2teaspoonsalt on zucchini, 1/2 teaspoon salt in patties (let zucchini sit for about 30-60 minutes; then pat dry)
1/2teaspoonturmeric
2garlic cloves
1shallot, chopped
1tablespoonminced cilantro
Zest of 1 lemon or lime
1/4cupcoconut oil
Instructions
Place red lentils in a big bowl of water. Soak for at least 45 minutes, up to 12 hours.
Slice zucchini into thinnest round slices possible (use a mandoline if you have it). Then slice zucchini into 1/4’’ thick matchsticks. Place zucchini in a colander. Sprinkle with 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt. Put a paper towel over them and place a can or something with some weight over them to help them drain. Let sit for 30-120 minutes, until at least 1 tablespoon liquid has been released. Gently pat dry with paper towels. Less water= cripsier fritters.
Place garlic and shallot into food processor and run to chop. Then add in lentils (drained and patted dry), another 1/2 teaspoon salt, lime zest, and cilantro. Run food processor until a puree forms.
Add in zucchini and briefly pulse to combine and mix. If you have a smaller food processor and it's tight on space, you can also do this in a large bowl.
Heat oil in a cast iron skillet or nonstick skillet- be generous so it doesn’t stick. Create small patties, about 1/4 cup or the size of your palm. Try to keep them somewhat thin.
Fry on each side until nice and brown, about 2-3 minutes per side. You do need to be a bit gentle with the fritters initially, but they should firm up as they cook. Once fully cooked, place fritters on a paper towel to drain excess oil.
Serve immediately with some cilantro. Sometimes I'll serve this with guacamole or tzatziki sauce. This does keep for a few days after- I recommend reheating in oven at 350 for a few minutes to keep them crispy, but you can also microwave if needed (they just won't stay as crispy).