Chickpea Onion Rings

If you are looking for a gluten-free snack that hits the spot, then this is the recipe for you. Ground chickpea flour is a great alternative to all purpose flour, especially for those with gluten allergies. The batter is slightly sweet and nutty with a hint of smoky flavor, which tastes great with a little sriracha mayo or even just plain old fashioned ketchup. They are also perfect for a game day party on the weekend or just sharing them with a friend with an ice cold beer.

Ingredients:
For the Onion Rings:
3-6 cups vegetable or coconut oil for frying (or as needed)
1 cup chickpea (garbanzo bean) flour
1/2 Tablespoon baking powder
1 1/4 teaspoon garlic salt
1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
1/4 teaspoon ground pepper
3/4 cup water
1 large Vidalia onion
Creole seasoning salt

For the Cilantro Lime Mayo Dipping Sauce
1/2 cup vegan mayo
2 Tablespoons chopped cilantro
2 Tablespoons fresh lime juice

Directions:
To ready the cilantro lime mayo, simple mix together the lime, chopped cilantro, and lime juice. Refrigerate until ready to use.

In a large deep pot or dutch oven, pour in enough oil to completely submerge the onion rings, about 2-4 inches. Heat oil over medium/high heat to 365ºF . You can also test oils readiness by dropping an onion ring into the oil. If the bagttered covered onion ring immediately bubbles and begins to fry, turning a golden brown, then the oil is ready. If not, wait a few minutes and try again.

In a large mixing bowl whisk together chickpea flour,baking powder, garlic salt, paprika, pepper and water. Set aside to thicken to the consistency of a thick pancake batter.
Using a fork or tongs, dredge onion slices until evenly coated in the batter. Let excess batter drip off, but leave enough so that the onion ring is well coated. Drop it into the heated oil and let fry about 1 to 2 minutes on each side, until golden brown and crispy. Remove cooked rings from oil and let cool on a paper-towel lined plate to absorb excess oil. Continue to cook the rings in batches until finished, adding oil to the pan as needed to keep the depth. Be sure to bring the oil back up to temperature after adding extra and before adding new rings.

While the onions ares still hot and draining on the paper towels, sprinkle of with a dusting of Creole seasoning. Serve with cilantro mayonnaise or your favorite condiment.