Spiced Cauliflower Fritters with Lemon Coriander Yoghurt Sauce

I’ve been watching these cauliflowers growing over the last couple of months and up until a week ago I thought they were cabbages. Suddenly the creamy white florets appeared and grew very quickly inside their leafy layers.

Cauliflower is one of those vegetables that I used to hate but now love, like aubergines. I think I had a bad cauliflower cheese experience at some point that put me off them for a long time.

These fritters are a cross between a bhaji, a pakora and a pancake really. It’s another recipe from the amazing Yotam Ottolenghi. I am slightly obsessed and am desperate to get to one of his restaurants one day. His vegetarian food is some of the best I have ever seen. The Middle Eastern/Mediterranean flavours are right up my street, bold, colourful and spicy.

Spiced Cauliflower Fritters with Coriander Lemon Yoghurt Sauce

Serves 4, vegetarian. Adapted from Ottolenghi The Cookbook

• 1 small cauliflower, about 400 gr, in small florets
• 120 gr flour (I used spelt)
• 3 tbsp chopped fresh coriander
• 1 clove garlic, chopped
• 2 spring onions, chopped
• 4 eggs
• 1 1/2 tsp ground cumin
• 1 tsp cinnamon
• 1 tsp ground coriander
• 1/2 tsp turmeric
• 1 1/2 tsp salt
• 1 tsp black pepper
• 500 ml sunflower oil for frying

For the Yoghurt Sauce

• 300 ml Greek yoghurt
• 2 tbsp finely chopped coriander
• 1/2 lemon zest & juice
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 1 tsp honey
• salt & black pepper

Put all the ingredients for the sauce in a small bowl and mix well. Taste and adjust lemon & salt as required.

Add the florets to large pan of boiling salted water and cook for 15 minutes or until very soft then drain in a colander.

Meanwhile put the flour, chopped coriander, garlic, onions, eggs and spices in a bowl and whisk together. When smooth add the hot cauliflower and whisk together to break down the cauliflower into the batter. Taste and add more salt if necessary.

Heat the oil in a large frying pan or wok. When the oil is hot carefully add large spoonfuls of the batter to the oil (about 3 tbsp per fritter). Separate them with a metal spatula. Fry in small batches and turn the oil down slightly so they don’t burn. They should take about 2 minutes per side to be golden & crispy.

Remove and drain on kitchen paper and keep warm in a low oven while you cook the rest.

Serve hot with the yoghurt sauce and a few lemon wedges to spritz over.

This is food you eat with your fingers and make a mess with the sauce. Or is that just me?