Growing up, pumpkin flower fritters—kumro phool bhaja in Bengali—were a mainstay in summer meals. Never the main attraction, but always memorable. My mother would often tell me how she and her grandmother would go out on hot afternoons and pluck the flowers near their house in Harinagar, Delhi. Upon bringing them home, they would fry them into simple fritters using rice and chickpea flour, to be eaten with dal.
Becoming more cognisant about where my food comes from, I find myself returning to ingredients like this. Pumpkin flowers bloom for only a short window during the summer, and cooking with them feels like acknowledging the pace of the season.
This salad highlights pumpkin flower fritter in a unique way—paired with chickpeas, fresh cucumber, and crisp lettuce, all dressed in a sharp, smoky mustard oil-and-hung curd dressing. Rooted in familiarity yet shaped by a different way of eating, these fritters make for a comforting meal, with the salad lending lightness and freshness.
For the Fritters:
| Pumpkin flowers, stamens removed | 8–10 pieces |
|---|---|
| Chickpea flour (besan) | 3 tablespoons |
| Rice flour | 5 tablespoons |
| Turmeric powder | ½ teaspoon |
| Red chilli powder | ½ teaspoon |
| Salt | to taste |
| Water | as needed |
| Oil | for frying |
For the Salad:
| Chickpeas, boiled | 1 cup |
|---|---|
| Cucumber, diced | 1 piece |
| Lettuce, torn | 30 grams |
For the Dressing:
| Hung curd | 4 tablespoons |
|---|---|
| Mustard oil | 1 tablespoon |
| Lime juice | 1 tablespoon |
| Kasundi (Bengali Mustard Sauce) | ½ tablespoon |
| Salt | to taste |
| Black pepper | to taste |
What You Will Need
Heavy- bottomed Pan for frying; Mixing bowls; Whisk/ Fork ; Muslin cloth/ Fine sieve
Instructions
At least 2–3 hours before you start cooking (or ideally overnight), hang the curd to drain out the whey. To do this, place a muslin cloth or fine sieve over a bowl, pour in fresh plain yoghurt, and let it drain in the refrigerator until thick. This will give you thick, creamy hung curd for the dressing.
Heat the mustard oil in a small pan over medium heat until it just begins to smoke. Turn off the heat and let it cool slightly.
In a small bowl, whisk together the mustard oil and lime juice to make a vinaigrette. Keep aside.
In a mixing bowl, add 4 tablespoons of hung curd and stir in the kasundi. Once well combined, slowly whisk in the vinaigrette. Season with salt and freshly cracked black pepper, and mix until the dressing is smooth and creamy.
Taste and adjust seasoning if needed. Set aside.
To make the fritters, start by gently cleaning the pumpkin flowers. Carefully remove the stamens (the central yellow part inside each flower) to avoid any bitterness. Rinse the flowers lightly under cold water to remove any dust or insects. Gently pat them dry with a clean kitchen towel or paper towel to remove excess moisture—this helps the batter stick better and prevents oil from splattering while frying.
In another mixing bowl, combine the chickpea flour, rice flour, turmeric powder, red chilli powder, and salt.
Slowly add water, whisking continuously, until you get a thick, smooth batter that can coat the pumpkin flowers evenly without dripping.
Heat oil in a kadhai over medium heat for frying.
Dip each cleaned and dried pumpkin flower into the batter, coating it fully, then carefully fry for 2–3 minutes on each side until golden and crisp.
Drain the fritters on paper towels to remove excess oil.
Toss the boiled chickpeas, cucumber, and torn lettuce leaves with half of the prepared dressing in a bowl.
Spread this dressed salad on a serving plate and top with the warm pumpkin flower fritters.
Drizzle the remaining dressing over the top. Serve immediately to keep the fritters crisp.
Tips:
- Handle the pumpkin flowers gently as they are delicate and can tear easily. Removing the stamens reduces any inherent bitter or strong flavour.
- The batter should be thick enough to coat the flowers without dripping off. If it’s too thin, the fritters won’t be crispy.
Ishani Banerjee (@ishaaanniii) is a chef with a deep love for cinema, literature, and storytelling through food. As Culinary Research and Outreach Coordinator at The Locavore, she delves into indigenous food systems and documents recipes from across India.
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