recipe c/o Yotam Ottolenghi
Yields: Serves : 4 to 6
“These are not your usual fritters,” says cookbook author Yotam Ottolenghi. His are pancake-like, packed with cauliflower and spiced with cinnamon, cumin and turmeric. As a dipping sauce, he serves lime-spiked Greek yogurt.
Lime Sauce
1 1/3 cups plain full-fat Greek yogurt
2 tbsp finely chopped cilantro
1 tsp finely grated lime zest
2 tbsp fresh lime juice
2 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
Kosher salt
Freshly ground pepper
Put all of the ingredients in a bowl and whisk well. Taste—the flavor should be vibrant, tart and citrusy—and adjust the seasoning as necessary. Chill or leave at room temperature for up to 1 hour.
Fritters
1 small cauliflower, about 3/4 pound, cut into little florets
Scant 1 cup all-purpose flour
3 tbsp finely chopped parsley, plus whole leaves for garnish
2 shallots, finely chopped (1/4 cup)
1 garlic clove, minced
4 large eggs, preferably organic
1 1/2 tsp ground cumin
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp turmeric
1 1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp freshly ground pepper
About 2 cups sunflower oil, for frying
Add the florets to a saucepan of salted boiling water. Simmer until very soft, 15 minutes; drain.
Meanwhile, put the flour, chopped parsley, shallots, garlic, eggs, cumin, cinnamon, turmeric, salt and pepper in a bowl and whisk to make a smooth batter. Add the warm cauliflower. Mix, smashing the cauliflower into the batter with the back of a wooden spoon.
In a wide skillet, heat 2/3 inch of oil over high heat until very hot. Working in batches, spoon in the cauliflower mixture, allowing 3 tablespoons per fritter.
Separate the fritters with a fish spatula. Fry in small batches, adjusting the heat so the fritters cook but don’t burn. They should take 3 to 4 minutes on each side.
Drain the fritters well on paper towels.
Garnish with the parsley leaves and serve hot or warm with the lime sauce.