Whether you are a meat eater, a Veganuary vegan or have been vegan for a while, this is one delicious starter or nibble which is completely naturally vegan. If you are trying out being vegan or just want to eat more veggies this year, this is a really good BBC Good Food magazine recipe which makes for a light starter/nibble before dinner. We actually ended up serving this as a side when we had friends over and it was very well received. I should say that the most important thing about making these delicious fritters is eating them as soon as they are cooked, so they are nice and crispy. If you leave them for a bit they will turn soggy (though still very tasty….)

Cauliflower fritters with herby dipping sauce

Cauliflower 2

Serves 4-6 as a nibble or starter | Prep 15 mins| Cook 15-20 mins
A little effort| Vegan

You’ll need
For the cauliflower:

  • 1 large cauliflower, cut into small florets;
  • sunflower oil, for deep-frying;
  • 85g plain flour;
  • 1 tbsp corn flour
  • 125ml sparkling water;
  • 1/2tsp ground coriander.

For the dipping sauce:

  • 1 large bunch of flat-leaf parsley, finely chopped;
  • 1 garlic clove, finely chopped;
  • 1 lemon, zest & juice;
  • 1 tbsp small capers;
  • 3 tbsp olive oil.

Whisk batter ingredients together, then let it rest while you make the dipping sauce. Mix the sauce ingredients together and set aside. Cook the cauliflower in boiling salted water for 2 mins, then drain and refresh with cold water.

Heat about 10cm depth sunflower oil in a high-sided pan. Once the oil is hot, test it with a small bit of bread – if it turns golden in 30 secs, it’s ready. Dip the dry cauliflower into the batter, shake off any excess and place carefully in the hot oil. Fry in batches until golden, about 3 mins, then remove to a plate lined with kitchen paper. To keep warm, keep the florets in a low oven. Once all the cauliflower is fried, season with sea salt and serve with the sauce.

Original recipe from BBC Good Food, issue February 2010, available online here.