Mushroom Fritters

Got some mushrooms?  Good, you can make these fritters, because every other ingredient is something you already have in your kitchen.  You can also use any other finely-chopped or shredded vegetable you want, but no matter how you slice it, these are incredibly simple.  I haven't made something so uncomplicated since chilaquiles.

On the downside, this recipe is as incredibly basic as it is simple.  They taste plain and need toppings; these fritters play well with salsas, chutneys, and yogurt-based sauces, as well as fun mayonnaises.  Next time I cook these, I'll be adding some curry powder to the batter for more sparkle.  This time, I got out a bunch of mayonnaise and played around, mixing it with pesto, curry powder, or adobo sauce from canned chipotles.  And did you know that curry mayo and chipotle mayo taste pretty good together?  I'm having a fusion vision...

Mushroom Fritters

recipe by Mark Bittman, How to Cook Everything Vegetarian

serves 2 as a meal, 4 as a side
prep time: 10 minutes
cook time: 15 minutes

ingredients:

vegetable oil for frying
1 1/4 cups (150g) flour
2 tsp baking powder
salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 tsp curry powder, chipotle powder, or other fun spices (optional)
3/4 cup (175 ml) milk
1 egg
2+ cups finely chopped mushrooms

directions:

Put 2 inches of vegetable oil in a deep pan and heat over medium-high.  If you have a thermometer, you want it at 350F (175C).

Combine the flour, baking powder, salt, pepper and spices in a large bowl.  In another bowl, beat the milk and egg together, then stir them into the dry ingredients.  You want a batter that is thick but smooth; add a few more tablespoons of milk if needed.  Finally, add the mushrooms and stir well.
Carefully drop the fritters by serving-spoon-ful (about 1/4 cup each) into the hot oil.  Cook until nicely browned on both sides, turning once.  Drain on paper towels.  Eat them right away or keep them warm in a 200F (100C) oven until ready to serve.