Yellow Squash Dumplings with Spiced Tomato Sauce

Yellow Squash Dumplings with Spiced Tomato Sauce

SERVES 2 TO 4

These tender, lightly spiced walnut-size balls are like a cross between pakora (batter-fried vegetable fritters) and vadai (soft grain- or legume-based dumplings). They are fried and deeply browned, but not crisp-crunchy. The spicing here is fairly mild, and you should feel free to add more chile, some garam masala, or any other spices you wish. Even if you're wary of frying (as I am I really dislike cleaning up after a messy frying experience), you should try these: They don't spatter or absorb much oil at all, and the croquettes don't even have to be served right after frying, as they are served with a sauce and aren't meant to be especially crisp or crunchy anyway.

I'd suggest doubling the recipe and freezing the extra fried balls and sauce separately they reheat nicely for a quick meal. The warmed-up sauce can be used in nearly infinite ways: Simmer some chunks of potato and cauliflower in it until tender, then add a few croquettes to warm through and serve over Spiced Brown Rice.

FOR THE TOMATO SAUCE

• 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
• 1 to 2 fresh hot green or red chiles, seeded and chopped
• 2 cloves garlic, chopped
• ¾-inch (12-mm) piece fresh ginger, peeled and chopped
• ½ teaspoon freshly ground cardamom
• ¼ teaspoon ground cloves
• 2 bay leaves
• 1 (28-ounce/790-g) can whole peeled tomatoes with their juices
• Salt
• Pinch of sugar

FOR THE SQUASH DUMPLINGS

• 1 pound (455 g) yellow squash (about 3)
• ½ to 1 cup (60 to 120 g) chickpea flour (besan), or more if needed
• 1 fresh hot green or red chile, seeded and minced
• 1 tablespoon chopped fresh cilantro
• ½ teaspoon grated fresh ginger
• Salt
• Pinch of freshly grated nutmeg
• Vegetable oil, for deep-frying

MAKE THE TOMATO SAUCE

1. In a medium saucepan, heat the oil over medium-high heat until it shimmers. Add the chiles, garlic, and ginger and cook, stirring, until softened but not browned, about 2 minutes. Add the cardamom, cloves, and bay leaves and stir for 10 seconds, then pour in the tomatoes and their juices. Add a generous pinch of salt and the sugar. Bring to a boil, then lower the heat and simmer, stirring to break up the tomatoes a bit, until the flavors are developed and the liquid is reduced a bit, about 20 minutes.
2. Remove and discard the bay leaves. Puree the sauce using an immersion blender. Taste and add more salt, if needed. Cover to keep warm and set aside. (The sauce can be made, cooled, and stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for several days. It also freezes very well.)

MAKE THE SQUASH DUMPLINGS

1. Coarsely grate the squash into a large bowl. If the squash is quite damp, squeeze handfuls of the shreds over the sink to extract as much liquid as possible. Sift ½ cup (60 g) of the chickpea flour through a sieve into the squash. Add the chile, cilantro, ginger, ½ teaspoon salt, and nutmeg and stir very well. If it's too soft or wet to shape into a very loose, soft ball, add more chickpea flour, a little at a time, until it comes together.
2. In a large, heavy saucepan, heat 2 inches (5 cm) of oil until it registers about (190°C) on a candy thermometer. Line a plate with paper towels.
3. Using your hands, shape some of the squash mixture into a walnut-size ball it will be soft and will just barely hold its shape, but don't worry, as it'll firm up in the oil. Set it in a slotted spoon and quickly lower it into the oil; repeat to make 2 or 3 more balls. Don't overcrowd the oil. Fry, turning occasionally, until deeply browned and cooked through, about 6 minutes. If the balls start to brown too quickly, lower the heat. Remove to the paper towels to drain. Repeat until you have used all of the squash mixture.
4. Reheat the sauce, if necessary. Serve the dumplings hot or warm, or even at room temperature, with the sauce ladled over or under them.

Variation

Instead of the spiced tomato sauce, serve the croquettes with a simple raita: Rinse off the grater and run a large seeded cucumber (peeled or not) through it. Squeeze out all the excess moisture and put it in a medium bowl. Finely grate 1 clove garlic into the cucumber, add salt, pepper, and chopped fresh cilantro to taste, and stir in about 1 cup (240 ml) plain Greek yogurt.