Spiced Chickpea Fritters

• In a small bowl, combine cucumber, tomato, sliced shallot, half the chopped dill, and half the feta (save the rest for serving). Stir in a drizzle of olive oil and a squeeze of lemon juice to taste. Season with salt and pepper. • In a separate small bowl, combine sour cream with a pinch of garlic to taste. Stir in water 1 tsp at a time until mixture reaches a drizzling consistency. Season with salt and pepper.

• Drain and rinse chickpeas. Place in a medium bowl and mash with a potato masher or fork until almost smooth. (It’s OK if there are still some larger chickpea pieces.) • In a large bowl, whisk together tempura mix, Shawarma Spice, salt (we used ¾ tsp; 1½ tsp for 4 servings), and 1/3 cup water until smooth. (For 4, use 2/3 cup water.) • Stir in mashed chickpeas, minced shallot, remaining garlic, and remaining chopped dill. Season with pepper. TIP: If mixture is too thick, add more water 1 TBSP at a time until it reaches a pancake-batter-like consistency.

• Heat a 1/3-inch layer of oil in a large, heavy-bottomed pan over medium- high heat. Once oil is shimmering and hot enough that a drop of batter sizzles when added to the pan, carefully add heaping ¼-cup scoops of chickpea batter. TIP: Add your batter to the pan close to the oil to avoid splatter. You may need to cook fritters in batches. • Cook fritters until golden brown and crisp, 3-4 minutes per side. • Using a slotted spoon, carefully transfer fritters to a paper-towel-lined plate. Season with a pinch of salt. Turn off heat.

• While fritters cook, warm pitas on top rack (use a baking sheet or place directly on oven rack) until pliable. Halve crosswise. TIP: You can use your toaster oven instead, if you have one. Keep an eye on the pitas as they warm—they should be soft, not crispy.