Egyptian Crispy Lentil Fritters (Adasiya)

About This Recipe

Lentil-based fritters, sometimes called adasiya, are a lesser-known but well-loved Egyptian snack, built on the same warm-spiced pantry logic as ta'ameya but using cooked lentils instead of raw soaked beans. This makes them considerably faster to put together since there's no overnight soak required — the lentils just need to be cooked down until thick enough to bind with a little flour. The key is cooking the lentils past the point of a soupy dal, until the mixture is thick enough to hold its shape when formed into patties; if it's too loose, the fritters fall apart in the oil. Cumin and coriander bloomed briefly in the pan before the lentils are added builds a deeper spice flavor than stirring raw spice powder directly into the mixture. Fried until deeply golden and crisp on the outside while staying soft within, these are typically sold hot from street carts wrapped in paper, and taste just as good made fresh at home with a squeeze of lemon and a drizzle of tahini.

Ingredients

Serves 4

• 1 cupred lentils(rinsed)
• 2.5 cupswater
• 2 tbspolive oil
• 1 smallonion(finely diced)
• 3 clovesgarlic(minced)
• 1 tspground cumin
• 0.5 tspground coriander
• 0.33 cupall-purpose flour
• 1 tspfine sea salt
• 0.33 cupparsley(chopped)
• 1 tbsplemon juice(plus extra wedges for serving)
• 1.5 cupsvegetable oil(for frying)

Instructions

1. 1

   Cook the lentils

   Combine lentils and water in a pot. Bring to a boil, then simmer uncovered 15-18 minutes, stirring occasionally, until very thick and the water has fully absorbed.

2. 2

   Cook the aromatics

   In a separate small pan, heat olive oil over medium heat. Add onion and cook 5 minutes until soft, then add garlic, cumin and coriander for 30 seconds.

   Blooming the spices in oil first gives a deeper flavor than stirring raw spice into the lentils.

3. 3

   Combine the mixture

   Stir the onion mixture into the cooked lentils along with flour, salt and parsley. Mix until thick and cohesive; let cool 10 minutes.

4. 4

   Shape the fritters

   With damp hands, shape the mixture into small patties about 5cm across.

5. 5

   Fry until golden

   Heat oil to 175C (350F) in a wide pan. Fry patties in batches 3 minutes per side until deeply golden and crisp. Drain on paper towels.

6. 6

   Serve hot

   Stir the lemon juice through, or serve fritters with fresh lemon wedges and tahini sauce on the side.

Variations

• •

  Baked version: bake at 220C for 20-22 minutes, flipping once, brushed with a little oil, for a lighter result.

• •

  Extra herbs: add chopped dill or cilantro along with the parsley for a greener flavor.

• •

  Spicier: add a pinch of cayenne or chopped fresh chile to the mixture.

Storage

Refrigerate cooked fritters up to 3 days and re-crisp in a hot oven or air fryer. The uncooked mixture also keeps 1 day refrigerated before frying.

Frequently Asked Questions