There are recipes you make once and recipes you immediately want to make again; Palestinian M’shaat Zahra ~ Cauliflower Fritters falls into the second group. A good appetizer should wake up the appetite and start the conversation at the same time. I hope you enjoy both the making and the sharing of it.
Ingredients
- 2 medium heads cauliflower about 3 1/2 pounds
- 3 cloves garlic minced
- 1/2 medium onion finely chopped (3/4 cup)
- 4 tbs finely chopped parsley
- 3 eggs
- 1 cup flour + 2 tbs all purpose
- 3/4 cup water
- 1 1/2tsp salt
- 1/2 tsp cumin, ground
- 1/2 tsp coriander, ground
- 1/4 tsp cinnamon
- 1/4 tsp black pepper
- 1/2 tsp garlic powder
- 1/2 tsp onion powder
- 1 tsp dry mint
- Vegetable oil for frying
- Sides: Sumac and lemon juice
Sauce
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- 1 tbs tahini
- 6 tbs Greek yogurt
- 1/4 cup lemon juice
- Shata to your taste
- 1/4 tsp turmeric
- Salt
- 5- sprinkle with sumac and lemon juice, serve next to the sauce and enjoy
Instructions
- 1-separate the florets from the head, and if there’s any large ones cut in half. In a large pot add 1 tbs salt to the water and bring your boil add the cauliflower and cover, cook until tender yet still firm. Test with a fork.
- 2- drain the cauliflower in a colander and let cool.
- 3- to make the batter in a bowl smash the garlic with a bit of salt , add the spices except for 1 teaspoon of dry mint and 3 eggs and whisk well. Add the water and whisk, add the flour gradually and whisk, add the parsley, 1/2 of an onion, mint and mix. The consistency should be a bit thinner than a cake batter. Let the batter rest for 20 minutes.
Notes
- Sometimes you have to use the extra 2 tbsp flour, depending on the weather or the eggs. I had to use the extra flour this time.
- 4- heat the oil in a frying pan on medium. Squeeze each floret between the palms of your hands to flatten and get rid of the extra water, lay carefully in the batter with a spatula push down to cover with the batter completely. Using a large fork take out so the excess batter could fall out and place in the frying pan carefully. Fry until golden on each side, drain on a wire rack.