Cauliflower Fritters – Emshaat

I love cauliflower. It is very versatile, and can stand in for chicken to make many recipes vegetarian. In fact, when my son was 3, and I made the following recipe, he thought he was eating chicken. As long as he was eating his vegetables, I really didn’t care what he called it ?

Several types fritters are very common in the Levant region, such as zucchini and cauliflower. Cauliflower fritters are called emshaat. There are actually two ways to make emshaat. One way is to steam whole florets, and coat with a batter, and fry, kind of like a tempura. I prefer the second way, where they are steamed, chopped, mixed with parsley, onions, and spices, before adding flour and eggs, then fried.

Cauliflower can vary widely in size – you can find some as small as a dessert plate and as big as a serving platter. So, since it probably won’t be particularly helpful to merely say “1 head of cauliflower”, a good rule of thumb is 1 egg, 1 tablespoon of flour, and 1 teaspoon of baking powder to 1 cup of cauliflower/onion/parsley mix. You can go light or heavy-handed on the spices, but I especially prefer lots of cumin.

These are a big hit with my kids. By the time I am done frying the last fritter, the first have already been eaten.

You can eat these warm or cold, and they go great with a salad and yogurt.

Cauliflower Fritters – Emshaat

1 small head cauliflower
1/2 cup finely chopped green onions/scallions, or regular onions
1/2 cup chopped parsley
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon cumin or curry powder
1/2 teaspoon turmeric
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1/2 teaspoon allspice
5 Tablespoons flour
5 eggs
1/2 teaspoon dried mint (optional)

Separate cauliflower into large florets. Steam or boil until fork-tender, about 15 minutes. Chop roughly.

Add onions, parsley, spices, eggs, flour, and baking powder. Combine completely.

Meanwhile, heat 1 inch of oil in large skillet.
Drop heaping tablespoons of batter into hot oil. Fry for 2 minutes, until golden, flip and fry 1-2 minutes more, until golden brown. Remove with slotted spoon, and drain on paper towels