Fritters have traditionally been one of the best ways to use up leftovers. You can put just about anything in a fritter batter and as long as it has been seasoned well and fried up properly it’s pretty much guaranteed to be delicious. You can also make them in any style you like and these Cauliflower Paneer Fritters have the wonderful spices of Indian cuisine that make them loaded with flavor.
As usual I’m using my trusty food processor to make this recipe as easy as can be. Whiz everything together until it’s relatively smooth (some lumps will remain) and then you’re halfway done!
In keeping with the Indian flavors we’re using paneer cheese for this recipe. If you don’t have access to that you can use drained cottage cheese, halloumi, or a mild cheddar instead. Paneer is great here because it doesn’t tend to melt and stick as readily as other cheeses. And, it’s authentic to Indian cooking.
I used regular wheat flour for this recipe but you can use chickpea flour or a 1-to-1 gluten-free flour if you want to avoid wheat.
Fry these up in some oil and then serve them with the amazing sauce that’s also in this recipe. It reminds me of a tzatziki sauce and it adds a refreshing flavor to the dense and satisfying fritters.
These Cauliflower Paneer Fritters are a wonderful side dish at dinner or they can be the star of the show at lunch.
Cauliflower Paneer Fritters
Diet: Vegetarian
For the fritters:
- 1/2 head cauliflower, cut into small florets
- 7 oz paneer cheese, chopped
- 1/2 cup chopped cilantro
- salt and pepper to taste
- 1 ½ cups all-purpose flour
- 3 teaspoons turmeric
- 3 teaspoons ground cumin
- 3 teaspoons ground coriander
- 1 teaspoon curry powder
- Pinch red pepper flakes or to taste
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1 egg, lightly beaten
- 1 (15 oz) can coconut milk
- 1/2 cup coconut oil, divided
For the sauce and presentation:
- 1/3 cup plain Greek yogurt
- 1 Persian cucumber, diced
- 6 leaves mint, chopped
- salt and pepper to taste
Preparation
- Add cauliflower, paneer, and cilantro to food processor. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Pulse until smooth and no large lumps remain.
- In large bowl combine remaining fritter ingredients except oil. Fold in cauliflower mixture and add salt and pepper. Form into small patties about 2 or 3 inches across.
- Heat 1 tablespoon oil in large skillet over medium-low heat. Drop fritter batter into pan by ¼ cups. Add fritters to pan and cook for 3-4 minutes each side or until golden brown. Place on plate lined with paper towels to drain.
- Combine yogurt, cucumber, mint, salt, and pepper for sauce. Serve fritters with mint yogurt sauce.
Recipe adapted from Delicious.