Lentil Croquettes - cooking recipe

Ingredients

1 cup split red lentils, washed
1 green bell pepper, washed, seeded and chopped finely
1 red onion, chopped finely
2 garlic cloves, finely minced
1 teaspoon garam masala
1/2 teaspoon chili powder
1 teaspoon cumin powder
2 teaspoons lemon juice
2 tablespoons peanuts, toasted without salt and coarsely chopped
2 1/2 cups water
1 egg, beaten
3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon ground turmeric
1 teaspoon chili powder
4 tablespoons peanut oil
salt and pepper, to taste

Preparation

Place the first 10 ingredients in a large pan and bring to a boil.
Reduce heat and simmer slowly, about 30 minutes until all the liquid has been absorbed (stir occasionally).
Note that the above steps can also be done in a pressure cooker if you have one - it's much faster.
Remove the mixture from heat and cool slightly.
Now beat in the egg and season to taste with salt and pepper.
Let the mixture cool completely (I find that the mixture holds its shape better if it has been refrigerated for a couple of hours).
Combine the flour, turmeric and chili powder in a small plate.
Once lentils are cool, shape the mixture into circles.
Roll the croquettes in the above spiced flour mixture to coat well.
Heat oil in a skillet and cook the croquettes in batches, turning once until crisp and brown on both sides.
Serve immediately with chutney or a crisp salad.
Note - it's important for the liquid to be fully absorbed in the lentil mixture so that it can bind well with the help of the egg.