Ramadan recipes: Courgette, chickpea fritters

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Updated 05 April 2024
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Ramadan recipes: Courgette, chickpea fritters

  • Fritter comes from the Late Latin word frictura, meaning to fry or to roast

Light, nutritious, flavorful, and delicious, fritter is a pancake-like dish made of meat, seafood, vegetables, fruit, or sometimes just dough, that is battered or breaded before being deep fried.

Fritter comes from the Late Latin word frictura, meaning to fry or to roast. Legend has it that the batter-fried dish emerged from Portugal and Spain and was introduced into Japan in the late 16th century.

Different countries around the world, including India, Indonesia, and South Africa, have invented their own fritter recipes using local ingredients.

Today’s recipe is an Indian version of courgette and chickpea fritters in which courgette is used as the main ingredient and is mixed with chickpea flour, herbs, and spices.

To make the dish, which is modified to be healthier, you need one large courgette, one raw egg, 60 grams of chickpea flour, one teaspoon of mixed dried herbs, quarter of a teaspoon of cayenne, salt, and black pepper.

First, shred the courgette into small, thin slices, squeeze out the excess water in a colander, and put it aside. In a small bowl, mix the chickpea flour, dried mixed herbs, cayenne, salt, and black pepper before adding the
egg, then add the courgetti.

Mix well.

Instead of a frying pan, prepare a baking tray with wax paper to make the fritters more healthy and less oily. Spread a bit of oil on the wax paper, low-fat oil or olive oil if preferred, put a tablespoon-sized amount of the mixture on the tray, and place in a preheated oven at 180 degrees Celsius for 12-15 minutes. Let it cool down a little before plating and serve hot.


Where We Are Going Today: The Door – international cuisines in Riyadh

Updated 06 December 2025
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Where We Are Going Today: The Door – international cuisines in Riyadh

  • The seafood spaghetti, made with a tomato base, mussels and shrimp, was the only dish left unfinished and did not land as well

Tucked between a corporate office building and a coffee shop, The Door reveals itself through an open window, framed flowers, candles and fairy lights. Peek inside and you are transported into a charming slice of the past.

The Door is a chic-casual restaurant offering a blend of international cuisines. It stands out in Riyadh’s dining scene for its flavors, reasonable prices and bistro-style atmosphere.

We started with the glazed shrimp, coated in smoked maple sauce. The dish was good but unremarkable, unlike the tahini cauliflower, which was fried perfectly and served with a rich tahini sauce, though the pieces were cut too small to eat easily with a fork.

For mains, the steak with mushroom sauce was cooked to perfection, and the lemon garlic spaghetti was creamy with a bright, zesty finish.

The seafood spaghetti, made with a tomato base, mussels and shrimp, was the only dish left unfinished and did not land as well. The shrimp tacos — recently added to the menu — were a pleasant surprise, blending Mexican and Asian influences with sweet chili sauce, shimeji mushrooms and baby corn.

We ended the meal with the dream parfait: strawberries in mango cream served with creme caramel. All I can say is, you simply cannot go wrong with strawberries and cream.

What truly elevates the experience is the ambience. Reminiscent of cozy European cafes, its low lighting, rustic decor and homey details create a warm, nostalgic atmosphere.

The wood-paneled interior is dotted with retro iron fans, flower-glass lights, handwritten notes, vintage frames, Polaroids and cascading lace curtains — small discoveries that make the space feel intimate and lived-in.

The Door is great for a casual night out with friends or a partner, especially if you are budget-conscious.

The only drawback is the limited seating. While walk-ins are welcome, joining the waitlist ahead of time is wise, as waiting times can be long even on weekdays.