Food Lover's Diary- Chapter 1

I was born in Nigeria and I have very fond memories though they are very few. My parents were teachers in a town called Funtua and later in another town called Kabomo. We moved back to India in 1985.

Some of the vague memories I have is that of the traditional Fulani women carrying milk, Jallof rice, pounded yam, heavenly Suya, and freshly fried hot Kosai.

I live in Hannover now, and we have a small ethnic grocery store here where we get a lot of African, Indian and oriental groceries. The shop has really poor aesthetics but is a magnet for people seeking these exotic groceries. I have been thinking about Kosai for a long time, but since there is no way I can find a place here that makes it, I decided to take matters into my own hands. I found the right ingredients from this store, and finally made the Kosai with a subtle Indian twist. 

For those who do now know..Kosai is a kind of a fritter made by frying a thick batter of peeled Blackeye beans. Here is how I made it and it was quite good I must say.

Ingredients-

1. 1 Cup of Black Eye Beans
2. 1 Medium Sized Onion
3. Three fresh Green Chilies
4. A few curry leaves (If you cannot get them its fine without it)
5. Salt to taste
6. Oil for frying

You have to soak the Black Eye Beans in warm water. If you soak them overnight, you will see that they are all swollen up and possibly cracking their skin covers. Once you change the water it will be easier to grip the beans and slip them out of their skin covers. You will develop your own technique of slipping them out of the skin after you do a few of them. The activity is tedious and will check your patience. But no pain, no gain. After all the beans are peeled, make a paste of them by adding the necessary amount of water in a mixer/blender/grinder. You could also add a little chicken stock to it for a different taste, but I have not tried it myself. To the paste, add finely chopped onions, chopped green chilies, curry leaves and salt to taste. Whisk the mixture nicely, simultaneously heat oil in a pan for frying. This is a deep fried recipe, so take the quantity of oil accordingly. Make small balls of the mixture using your palm and slide them in the pan when the oil is hot. Keep turning them in the oil till they turn golden in colour. Once fried nicely, take them out on a kitchen towel so that the excess oil doesn’t go to your stomach. Kosai is ready and hot to savour.