Crisp, golden lentil fritters spiced with cumin and coriander — an Egyptian street-style snack served with lemon and tahini.
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.
Serves 4
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.
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.
Stir the onion mixture into the cooked lentils along with flour, salt and parsley. Mix until thick and cohesive; let cool 10 minutes.
With damp hands, shape the mixture into small patties about 5cm across.
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.
Stir the lemon juice through, or serve fritters with fresh lemon wedges and tahini sauce on the side.
Cook the lentils until they're notably thick, closer to mashed potatoes than soup — a loose mixture won't hold together when fried.
Let the mixture cool before shaping so it firms up and is easier to handle without sticking to your hands.
Fry in small batches to keep the oil temperature steady — overcrowding drops the temperature and makes the fritters greasy.
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.
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.
Fritters made from cooked lentils rather than raw soaked beans are a quicker cousin of ta'ameya found in some Egyptian home kitchens and street stalls, offering the same warm-spiced, herb-flecked flavor without the overnight soaking required for traditional fava-based versions.
It's not recommended — canned lentils are too wet and won't reduce down to the thick, bindable texture this recipe needs.
The lentil mixture was probably too wet — cook it down further until very thick, and make sure it's fully cooled before shaping.
Yes, though they'll be softer rather than crisp — bake at 220C for about 20 minutes, flipping halfway, brushed lightly with oil.
Per serving (210g / 7.4 oz) · 4 servings total
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