Peel, wash and finely grate the raw vegetables (manually or using a heavy-duty food processor). Transfer the mixture to a large bowl, season with salt and pepper, then cover and set aside (the vegetables will release moisture as it sits).

Finely chop chives, garlic, parsley, thyme and pepper (you can also puree the ingredients in a blender); add herb mixture to the vegetables. Add flour and baking soda or baking powder and stir mixture vigorously to form a thick, semi-soft dough. Let stand, covered, in the refrigerator for 1 to 2 hours. (You should not need to use the 1 cup of water but if you find that the pureed vegetables did not yield enough water while resting in order to make the batter, then use some of the water for the batter-dough.)

When ready to make the fritters, remove the batter-dough from the refrigerator and bring to room temperature.

Heat oil in a frying pan on medium heat; addd a tablespoon of the mixture to the oil and let fry about 2 minutes. Check fritter for taste, adding more flour if the dough is too wet and the fritters do not 'take' or more water if they are too 'heavy'.  If batter is to taste fry in batches and drain well on paper towels.

Enjoy fritters piping hot with local green cabbage salad or tossed salad.