Courgette, Cumin and Lime Fritters
Make the most of a glut of summer courgettes with these cumin and lime fritters served with a cooling and zesty yoghurt dip.
From the book
From the Veg Patch
The ultimate guide to getting the most out of your veg patch
With 100 simple recipes to celebrate seasonal produce
From vibrant summer tomatoes to earthy winter beetroot
Introduction
For a tasty, fuss-free supper, you really can’t beat a fritter. Here, cumin, coriander and lime embellish an otherwise straightforward batter good for any grated veg, but do experiment with other flavourings – basil and lemon or smoked paprika and chilli – or leave out altogether. Our heroes are courgettes this time, but they could just as easily be grated carrot, beetroot, parsnips or cauliflower another day. And after you’ve made them for supper, try them cold for a packed lunch, or cook them small and serve as pre-dinner nibbles. Endlessly versatile, this is a real workhorse recipe.
Ingredients
| 60g | self-raising flour |
| 1 tsp | ground cumin |
| ½ tsp | flaky sea salt |
| 1 | egg |
| 40ml | whole milk |
| 250g | courgettes, trimmed |
| 3 tbsp | finely chopped coriander leaves |
| 1 | lime, zest and juice |
| 200ml | sunflower oil, for frying |
| 200g | natural yogurt |
Method
Preheat the oven to 120C/100C fan/gas mark ½.
Whisk together the flour, ground cumin, measured salt and a few turns of pepper in a large bowl.
Beat the egg and milk together in a jug, then pour it gradually into the dry mix, whisking as you go, to create a smooth batter.
Grate the courgettes onto a chopping board using the coarse side of a box grater, then squeeze them between your hands to get rid of any excess liquid. Add the gratings to the batter with 1 tablespoon of the chopped coriander and the lime zest and stir through.
Pour the sunflower oil into a large, non-stick frying pan so it is, give or take, 2cm deep. Warm over a medium-high heat until a droplet of batter fizzes on contact with the oil. Spoon big tablespoon-sized dollops of the batter into the pan and fry for 4–6 minutes on each side. They are ready when the outside is golden and the inside is fluffy and just cooked through. You may need to do this in batches, so transfer the cooked fritters to a plate lined with kitchen paper and pop them into the warmed oven while you do the rest.
Mix the yogurt with the remaining coriander leaves, the lime juice and a pinch of salt, and serve it in a bowl alongside the pile of warm fritters.
