Cauliflower Fritters with Lime Yogurt Sauce

Fritters...what a funny name. The word sounds sort of like critters, which makes them seem totally adorable. I guess you could say these fritters were adorable. They're cute in an ugly kind of way if that makes any sense, and are kind of like a thick, hearty, savory, pancake. I couldn't quite finish the serving you see in the picture above. 

In addition to being both cute and ugly, they were also very tasty, and quick and easy to make. I loved the spice combination (turmeric...where have you been all my life?), though I did have to make a few adjustments to suit my own taste. The original recipe calls for 1 1/2 teaspoons cumin. I like cumin just fine, but to my taste buds it can quite easily take over a dish, so I reduced the amount to only 1/2 a teaspoon. This worked for me, as I knew it was there, but it wasn't overpowering at all. I also think that next time I would reduce the lime juice by about half in the yogurt sauce. It was a tad too tart for me, but Chris thought it was just fine, so I again think it's  up to personal preference as to how much to use.

I love finding hearty vegetarian dishes like this, especially since in China, you don't really know the quality of the meat that you buy. Plus, they are usually very inexpensive to make! I hope you enjoy these little fritter critters as much as we did!

Cauliflower Fritters with Lime Yogurt Sauce

Ingredients 

1 small cauliflower (about 320g or roughly 3/4 lb.)

1 cup all purpose flour

3 tablespoons chopped cilantro

1 large clove of garlic, crushed

2 shallots, finely chopped

4 eggs

1/2 teaspoon-1 1/2 teaspoons ground cumin, depending on your preference

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon turmeric

1 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon black pepper

Sunflower or other neutral vegetable oil for frying, enough to cover the bottom of your skillet.

For the Lime Yogurt Sauce

1 1/4 cups Greek yogurt

2 tablespoons finely chopped cilantro

Grated Zest of one lime

1-2 tablespoons lime juice, depending on preference

2 tablespoons olive oil

Salt and pepper to taste

Directions

Make the yogurt sauce by whisking together the ingredients in a bowl. Set aside in the fridge until ready to use.

Prepare the cauliflower by removing the leaves and dividing into small florets. Cook in a large pan of simmering salted water for about 15 minutes until soft. Drain.

Meanwhile, whisk together the flour, cilantro, garlic, shallots, eggs, spices, salt, and pepper. When mixed well, add the soft warm cauliflower and stir, breaking down the cauliflower into the batter.

Heat the oil in a wide pan. Once very hot, carefully scoop the batter into the oil to cook (I used a 1/4 cup measuring cup). Avoid overcrowding them, cooking maybe three at a time. Fry for 3-4 minutes per side, then remove from the pan and allow to drain on paper towels.

Serve immediately with yogurt sauce and garnish with more cilantro if desired.

Recipe Source: seen here and here, both adapted from Ottolenghi: The Cookbook