Banana Blossom Fritters (Pakoras)

• 1 Banana blossom
• 1 cup chickpea flour
• 2 tablespoons rice flour
• 1/2 tablespoon cayenne pepper powder
• 1/4 teaspoon turmeric powder
• 1 tablespoon dried thyme
• Salt to taste
• 2-3 tablespoons plain kefir as needed
• Oil for deep frying

1. To prepare the blossoms, remove the leathery coverings (bracts) from the inflorescence one at a time. (keep a large bowl filled with acidulated water (either lemon juice or some kefir whisked in) . Grasp the bunch of immature flowers and rub them vigorously against you palm to 'open' the closed buds exposing the fibrous sticky pistils (the female part). yank out the pistils firmly and discard. Stack the cleaned buds, chop them finely and immerse in the acidulated water. as you work through the the layer, the bracts become lighter in color and need to be pried out to expose the buds, and the blooms progressively become smaller. Stop at the point when the bracts cannot be pried loose.
2. Once all the buds have been chopped, drain the acidulated water completely, and add the chickpea & rice flour along with the cayenne chil;i powder, turmeric, Thyme and salt. toss to coat completely. Add just enough kefir to make a thick batter that can be scooped up with a spoon.
3. Heat the oil till it just begins to smoke. Drop the batter with a spoon in batches and fry on a medium-high heat until the fritters turn a golden brown, remove from oil and place on a plate line with paper towels to absorb any excess oil.
4. Serve hot with your choice of chutneys or dip.

banana, chickpea flour, rice flour, cayenne pepper, turmeric powder, thyme, salt

Taken from food52.com/recipes/76554-banana-blossom-fritters-pakoras (may not work)