This veggie dish, from Feast with Sababa: Middle Eastern and Mediterranean Food, by Tal Smith, R310, (Jacana Media), is wonderfully comforting and makes a great snack

INGREDIENTS

  • 600g cauliflower
  • 1 cup flour
  • 3 eggs, lightly beaten
  • 1½ cups breadcrumbs
  • ½ cup sesame seeds
  • 1t paprika
  • 1t cumin, ground
  • ½t chilli powder
  • Salt and freshly ground black pepper
  • Canola oil for frying

To make the tahina sauce

  • ¼ cup tahini paste
  • ¼ cup water
  • 1T lemon juice
  • ¼t garlic, crushed
  • Salt
  • 1T Italian parsley, chopped

METHOD

  1. Start by making the tahina dipping sauce. Combine all the ingredients, besides the parsley, using a whisk until smooth. Stir in the chopped parsley. Set aside in the fridge until you ready to serve.
  2. Bring a pot of water to the boil.
  3. Place the whole cauliflower into the pot and let it cook for about 2 minutes.
  4. Strain all the water, let it cool down and then cut into florets.
  5. Place the flour in a bowl, the eggs in another bowl and then have a third bowl with the breadcrumbs, sesame seeds, paprika, cumin, chilli powder, salt and pepper combined.
  6. Add oil to a frying pan – about 2cm deep. Once hot, start to fry the cauliflower.
  7. Place the florets into the flour, then into the egg and finally the breadcrumb mix.
  8. Place them into the frying pan and fry until golden and crisp.
  9. Keep turning every few minutes so that they cook through.
  10. Once cooked, place them onto a tray with paper towel so that all the excess oil drains off.
  11. Serve warm.

(Serves 6-8 people)