Split Pea Curried Fritters

This simple and satisfying recipe can be made with any tempeh, although I think the flavors go best with a tempeh made from split peas, like Trekker.

Ingredients:

• 1 small onion, finely diced

• Half a leek, finely diced

• 1/2c peeled, grated sweet potato

• 1/2c grated turnip 

• 1/2c quality sauerkraut 

• 1 block tempeh, cubed

• 2  tbsp minced jalapeño

• 1 tbsp mustard

• 1 tbsp sweet white miso

• 1 tsp turmeric

• 1/4 chickpea flour

• ½ tsp baking soda dissolved into 1 tbsp water

• Salt to taste

Preparation:

1. If you do not have a deep fry setup (see step 6), preheat the oven to 400.

2. Sautee your vegetables, in a little bit of neutral oil of your choosing. Until tender, reserve and cool to room temperature. 

3. Add your tempeh and sauteed vegetables into a food processor. You may need to do it in batches if your food processor is small. Pulse until you get a semi-rough consistency: not pureed, and enough texture to hold up while frying.

4. Put the tempeh blend into a bowl and mix in everything but the baking soda. Let this mixture rest in the fridge for an hour or more. Add your baking soda slurry and season with salt.

5. You can now shape into any size of your choosing (standard medium meatball size is what I go for). Make sure to season with salt and do a tester to see if it holds up and the seasoning is just right. Adjust with more chickpea flour if you need to. 

6. Heat your oil to 350, either a shallow fry or deep fry depending on your setup. If you shallow fry you will most likely need to bake for another 10-12 minutes at 400.

Serving Suggestions:

Add these fritters to a salad, a grain bowl, marinated vegetables, or pita pocket.