Cauliflower "Falafel"
Falafel tempura batter fried cauliflower, on top of traditional hummus.
Ingredients
- 1 head medium to large sized cauliflower Cut into smaller florets. Not too small that you've got a million fake falafel, but not too large that you can't eat them as a side. About a 1-inch floret is perfect.
- 1 cup falafel mix You can use any boxed falafel mix you'd like. I opt for Sadaf because it's easily available and makes for good falafel, but seriously any falafel mix will work.
- 1/2 cup cornstarch
- 1 tsp salt
- 2 tsp baking powder
- 3/4 cup ice cold water
- 1 egg slightly beaten
- 2 cups oil, for frying use canola or sunflower if possible. Vegetable oil is fine as well, but I prefer the other 2 types here.
Instructions
- Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Once boiling, add the cauliflower florets and boil for about 4 minutes, or until the cauliflower is almost cooked. Do not overcook. Drain and rinse under cold water to stop it from cooking more and to cool it.
- Spread the cauliflower out onto a plate lined with paper towels and allow them to air dry, until completely dry. If completely dry, you will get a much better result, I promise you to be patient. Leave them for an hour and walk away!
- While air drying, go ahead and make the falafel tempura batter. In a bowl, mix the falafel mix, cornstarch, baking powder and salt. Whisk in the ice-cold water and the egg. Do not overmix, the batter shouldn't be super-smooth.
- Heat the oil in a deep pan, using more or less depending on the size of the pan. You want at least an inch of oil to fry in. Heat to 375 degrees, using a thermometer if you have one.
- Working with one cauliflower floret at a time, dip it into the tempura batter (using a fork, or your hands - but be careful when dipping in the oil) and slightly shake it to remove the excess batter. Immediately transfer to the oil and repeat with 3-4 more florets. Fry for about 1 minute, or until golden brown. Remove the cauliflower tempura from the oil using a slotted spoon and transfer to a plate lined with a kitchen paper towel to remove the excess oil. Repeat with the remaining cauliflower florets, frying no more than 4-5 at a time.
- Serve immediately with your favorite dipping sauce, or as a Hummus plate for a full meal, on top of my Traditional Hummus recipe.
Notes
The boxed falafel mix usage might seem like a total hack, but at the end of the day it makes this an easy to make recipe, and your diners won't fault you for it! This is a great healthy option that gives you your falafel fix without making you too full and hiding your veggies in fried goodness!