Spinach Phulourie

Blogging Marathon #19
Theme: Cooking with Greens

My favorite green is spinach because I don't like bitter greens. That's why the most common vegetable on this blog is spinach.

A few months ago, I showed you the recipe for phulourie, yellow split pea balls, which is a very common street food item in Caribbean countries with Indian populations, like Trinidad and Guyana.  In line with my cooking with greens theme today, I decided to do a spinach version of phulourie.  With some whole wheat flour, here's a healthier version of the classic Caribbean street food with home made chutney.

Spinach Phulourie

(click here for printable recipe)
Ingredients:
1 1/2 cups yellow split peas, soaked overnight
1/2 cup whole wheat flour
1/2 cup all purpose flour
2 cloves garlic
1/2 teaspoon ground turmeric
1 1/2 teaspoons roasted cumin powder
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
3 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 Scotch Bonnet/Habanero pepper
2 cups spinach leaves, firmly packed
2/3 cup water

In a food processor, combine spinach, garlic and Scotch Bonnet. Process well.  Add split peas and process well, scraping the sides of the processor every few minutes, to ensure a properly processed spinach-split pea paste.
Transfer to a large bowl and add all other ingredients.  Mix well.

Heat enough oil for deep frying to 350 F.  Add spoonfuls of batter and fry until browned on all sides.

...and here's the Caribbean version of Tamarind Chutney, the most common condiment served with phulourie.

Tamarind Chutney

(click here for printable recipe)
Ingredients:
7 oz. tamarind pulp
1 Scotch Bonnet pepper
2 cloves garlic
5 leaves Shadoe Beny (1/4 cup cilantro can be used as a substitute)
3 tablespoons brown sugar
2 cups water
1 pinch salt

Boil water.  Pour over tamarind pulp and let sit for 20 minutes.  Strain the pulp, pressing out all of the liquid, until you only have dry pulp remaining and discard the pulp.
Using a food processor or mortar and pestle, grind the garlic, shadoe beny and Scotch Bonnet well.
In a saucepan, combine tamarind liquid, with grinded garlic, etc.  Add brown sugar and salt.
Bring to a boil.  Simmer for 20 minutes.
Strain and cool.
Serve with phulourie.

Check out the Blogging Marathon page for the other Blogging Marathoners doing BM#19

sent to Let's Cook Appetizers

12/15/2012 update:

linking to Cook n Bake with Spinach

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Chef Mireille
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