Asma Khan’s fish pakoras

Asma Khan’s versatile fish pakoras work as a starter, canapé or as part of a meal. The golden fritters are delicious with coriander chutney.

Asma says: “The combination of chickpea flour (also know as gram or besan flour) and rice flour gives the batter a great texture and the layering of flavours in these pakoras all comes together when fried. If your early attempts at making this don’t turn out as you’d hoped, please persist and try again. Adjusting the oil temperature when frying or the thickness of the batter in which the fish is fried, as well as ensuring the fish is completely dry when it’s battered, all make a huge difference.”

One of the UK’s most high-profile female restaurateurs, Asma was brought up in Kolkata, India. She came to the UK in 1991 and studied law in London. After obtaining a PhD in 2012, Asma started a supper club in her home before moving it into a Soho pub. Its success led, in 2017, to the opening of her acclaimed restaurant, Darjeeling Express, in Soho, where she led an all-female team of home cooks, mostly immigrants. She was the first UK chef to be profiled on the hit Netflix documentary series Chef’s Table. These recipes are from her third cookery book, Monsoon (DK, £26).

Loved this dish? Try Asma’s quick Bengali murgir korma.