Indian-Style Split Pea Fritters

1 cup yellow or green split peas, washed and picked over
Peanut or other oil as needed
1 jalapeño or other hot fresh or dried chili, stemmed, seeded and minced, or to taste
1 half-inch piece ginger, peeled and roughly chopped
1 clove garlic, peeled and roughly chopped
½ cup onion, peeled and roughly chopped
½ cup cilantro (some stems are O.K.)
1 teaspoon ground coriander
1 teaspoon ground cumin
½ teaspoon ground fenugreek
Salt
freshly ground black pepper to taste
1 to 2 tablespoons flour, if necessary
Lime wedges

Nutritional Information
- Nutritional analysis per serving (6 servings)
  135 calories; 0 grams fat; 0 grams saturated fat; 0 grams monounsaturated fat; 0 grams polyunsaturated fat; 25 grams carbohydrates; 9 grams dietary fiber; 3 grams sugars; 8 grams protein; 8 milligrams sodium

4 to 8 appetizer servings

For at least 3 hours, soak the split peas in water to cover. Drain but leave them wet. Place oil, to a depth of at least 3 inches, in a wok or large, deep saucepan. Turn heat to medium-high. Let it heat while you prepare fritters; it should reach a temperature of 365 to 375 degrees.
Place the drained peas in the container of a food processor with chili, ginger, garlic, onion, cilantro, coriander, cumin, fenugreek, salt and pepper. Process until mixture is a coarse purée — not perfectly smooth, but with no whole peas remaining. Add a couple of tablespoons of water if necessary to help the machine with its work. The mixture should be fairly loose; add a little water if it is quite thick, or a tablespoon or two of flour if it is soupy. Taste and adjust seasoning if necessary.
Drop the mixture by the heaping tablespoon into the oil; do not crowd. Cook until lightly browned and crisp, turning if necessary; total cooking time will be about 3 to 4 minutes. Drain on paper towels. Serve hot or at room temperature, with lime wedges.

3 to 4 hours