Paneer and Pepper Fritters

Ingredients:

1/2 lb paneer (a firm textured Indian cheese) or farmer cheese, crumbled
1/2 cup diced sweet mini peppers
1 garlic clove, minced
1 tsp finely grated fresh ginger
1/2 cup plus 3 Tbsp creme fraiche
1/2 tsp ground cumin
1/2 tsp ground coriander
1/2 tsp garam masala
1/4 to 1/2 tsp cayenne pepper
Salt and freshly ground pepper
All-purpose flour for dredging
2 large eggs, lightly beaten
2 cups panko
Vegetable oil, for frying
Lemon wedges, for serving

Instructions:

In a bowl, combine the paneer, sweet mini peppers, garlic, ginger, and creme fraiche. Add the cumin, coriander, garam masala, and cayenne and season with salt and pepper. Shape into 12 balls and flatten each into a 2 1/2-inch patty.

Put the flour, beaten eggs, and panko in 3 separate shallow dishes. Dredge the patties in the flour, then dip them in the beaten eggs. Let any excess egg drip off. Coat the patties with the panko.

Preheat the oven to 325°. In a large saucepan, heat 1 1/4 inches of vegetable oil to 350°. Fry 4 patties at a time, turning once, until golden brown and crisp, about 1 minute. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the fritters to a paper towel-lined platter and season with salt. Keep warm in the oven while you fry the remaining fritters. Serve right away with lemon wedges.

Serves 4.

By Rajat Parr, foodandwine.com