180g (1½ cups) plain (all-purpose) flourAUBERGINE FRITTERS WITH HOISIN DIP
My juicy and crispy aubergine fritters make a perfect late-night snack. Curl up on the sofa, pop on your favourite film and scoff away; sounds like heaven to me!
180g (1½ cups) plain (all-purpose) flour
¼ tsp baking powder
600ml (2½ cups) sparkling water
1 large aubergine (eggplant), cut into 5mm (¼in) slices
4 tbsp hoisin sauce
From the store cupboard
500ml (2 cups) vegetable oil
½ tsp salt
Pour the oil into a large saucepan and heat to 175°C (350°F).
In a large bowl, combine the flour, baking powder and salt. Add the sparkling water and use a fork to mix together. It is perfectly fine to have small lumps of flour in your mixture; it’s more important not to overwork the mixture as this will build up the gluten in the flour and make your batter doughy.
One slice at a time, dip the aubergine into the batter and then carefully lower into the oil. Fry in small batches for 3–5 minutes, turning occasionally for even cooking and colour. Drain on kitchen paper and serve hot with hoisin sauce for dipping.
