These egg pakoras are something a bit special: boiled eggs, dipped in spiced batter and deep fried until the coating is crisp and the yolk is custardy.
Fill a pan with water, salt and vinegar. Bring to the boil.
Gently lower the eggs into the water with a slotted spoon so that they don’t crack, then replace the lid and boil for and simmer for 6 minutes.
Lift the eggs from the pan with a slotted spoon and plunge into a bowl of ice water to prevent them cooking further. If you don’t have ice, put them in cold water and run the cold tap into the bowl for a minute to help it stay cold.
Once the eggs cold, remove them from the water and gently tap them on the counter to break the shell all over.
Now they’re ready to peel carefully and pat dry.
Make the egg pakoras
Put the chickpea flour, rice flour, salt, coriander, chilli powder, turmeric, cumin and fresh chilli in a large mixing bowl and whisk together.
Measure 150ml (2/3 US cup) of water a little at a time, whisking until you have a very thick, pancake-like batter. It needs to be thick to cling to the eggs, so you might not need all of the water. Leave to rest for 10 minutes.
Prepare the oil in your deep fat fryer or a large, high-sided saucepan. It’s no more than one third full to allow for safe expansion during heating and cooking.
Heat the oil to 180C (355F) or until a little bit of batter dropped into the oil bubbles.
Dip an egg into the batter and turn so that it is well coated, then lower straight into the oil. Don’t fry them all at once as you’ll overcrowd the pan. Aim for 2-3 eggs at a time.
Fry for 6 minutes until crisp and golden, turning gently as needed.
Lift from the pan using a slotted spoon or straining spoon and place on a plate lined with kitchen paper to allow the oil to drain.
If you like, you can place the drained pakora on a baking sheet in a low oven to stay hot and crisp while you fry the rest of the batch.