Cauliflower Fritters

This is a take on an Indian pakora; cauliflower, peas, onion, and an assortment of spices are mixed together in a simple batter and lightly fried. You can replace white flour with traditional gram (chickpea) flour for a gluten-free option. Pair these fritters with a cooling cilantro and mint dipping sauce for a well-rounded and unforgettable bite.

Curry Cauliflower Fritters

*Note: This recipe is part of a series on how to turn a whole roasted cauliflower into five recipes check them all out here. This recipe calls for 5 oz of roasted cauliflower, about of a 3-pound cauliflower once roasted. To roast a whole head: trim the stems and leaves flush with the bottom and discard, brush the head with olive oil, season with salt and pepper, and roast it in a 450F degree oven on the bottom rack for 50 minutes. You can set aside the remaining amount to make the other recipes, use it to scale up the recipe below, or freeze it for a later use. You can set aside the remaining amount to make the other recipes, use it to scale up the recipe below, or freeze it for a later use.

Ingredients

Cilantro Mint Dipping Sauce:

• cup sour cream
• cup cilantro leaves, coarsely chopped and loosely packed
• 2 tsp mint leaves, coarsely chopped and loosely packed
• 1 tsp lime juice
• tsp minced garlic
• tsp sugar
• Pinch of salt

Fritters:

• 2 tbsp all-purpose flour
• tsp baking powder
• tsp curry powder
• tsp salt
• 1 small egg
• 5 oz roasted cauliflower*, finely chopped
• tsp seeded green chilies, finely chopped
• 2 tsp finely chopped onion
• 1 tbsp frozen peas, thawed
• cup canola oil, for frying

Preparation

Preheat oven to 450F degrees.

For the sauce: Put the sour cream, cilantro, mint, lime juice, garlic, sugar and salt in a food processor. Pulse until the sauce is fully blended. Set aside.

For the fritters: Whisk together the flour, baking powder, curry powder, salt and egg. Add the cauliflower, green chilies, onion and peas, and fold into the batter.

Pour the canola oil into an 8- to 10-inch high-sided pan over medium-high heat.

Scoop the batter with a 2-ounce ice cream scoop, to get even portions. Add to the hot oil and flatten the batter down slightly with the back of the scoop. Cook the fritters for 3 minutes on each side until they are golden in colour. Then place the fritters on a baking sheet and cook in the oven for 15 minutes, turning the fritters over half-way through baking.

Serve the fritters with the cilantro mint dipping sauce alongside.

Yield: Makes 4 fritters

Ariel Lefkowitzis a Canadian/American food writer, chef, and video journalist based in Montreal, QC. She has been a trained chef for over a decade. Ariel believes that cooking is a critical part of self-care that should be joyful, sustainable and accessible. She is currently developing a comedic cooking show, titledCooking in the Cut. Follow her at@cookinginthecut.