Chickpea fritters are one of our trekkers’ favorite dishes
Photo: Thomson Safaris staffer, Amy Czarnecki
There’s one very obvious “high-point” of any Kilimanjaro trek (here’s a hint, it starts with a “U” and ends with “huru Peak”), but many of our guests rave about another experience on the mountain: the food!
We got in touch with the Tanzania team to track down one of our favorite Kili recipes, for chickpea fritters. Cook up some of these for a healthy taste of the mountain at home!
Fried Chickpea Fritters
Ingredients:
1 cup dried chickpeas*
1 large onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, chopped
3 tbsp. fresh parley, chopped
1 tsp. cumin
1 tsp. coriander
2 tbsp. flour
Salt & Pepper to taste
Oil for frying
* You can use canned chickpeas instead, but cooking times would have to be altered during preparation. Dried are preferred.
Directions:
1.) Place dried chickpeas in a bowl, completely covering them with cold water. Allow them to soak overnight .
2.) Rinse and drain chickpeas, then pour them into a pan 2/3 full of fresh water. Bring to a boil.
3.) Boil the chickpeas for about 5 minutes, then reduce heat to a simmer, cover the pan, and cook on low for around an hour.
4.) Drain peas and allow them to cool for 15 minutes
5.) Combine chickpeas, garlic, onion, spices, seasonings, and flour in a medium bowl.
6.) Mash the chickpea mixture. This can also be done with a food processor. The resulting mixture should resemble thick paste in texture.
7.) Form the mixture into small balls (around the size of a ping-pong ball), flattening them slightly, so that they resemble thick pancakes.
8.) In a saucepan, heat around 2 inches of oil to 350°. Fry the fritters in small batches for around 5-7 minutes, or until they’re golden brown (flip the fritters about halfway through the process).
On Amy’s recent trek, these fritters were her “hands-down favorite food.” But they’d be even better with something on the side. Maybe a helping of:
Voodoo Love Salad
Ingredients:
2 avocados (chopped in large chunks; they should be ripe, but not over ripe)
2 mangoes (chopped in large chunks)
2 tsp. cayenne pepper*
The juice of 1 lime
Salt to taste
*The amount of cayenne you add depends on personal preference. Feel free to use more or less as desired.
Directions:
1.) Combine avocados, mangoes, lime juice, salt, and cayenne pepper in a large bowl.
2.) Stir.
3.) Enjoy!
