Deep-Fried Cauliflower With Crispy Dukkah Coating Recipe (2024)

By Martha Rose Shulman

Deep-Fried Cauliflower With Crispy Dukkah Coating Recipe (1)

Total Time
About 30 minutes
Rating
5(67)
Notes
Read community notes

Deep-fried cauliflower is a Middle Eastern specialty, so why not make it even more Middle Eastern and use a batter made with dukkah, the complex Middle Eastern condiment made with a mixture of nuts, seeds, spices and, in this version, chickpea flour. The batter is thin (you have the option of adding a bit more chickpea flour) but the cauliflower gets just enough of a coating to come out of the oil with a perfect thin crispy shell. Serve it with garlic-laced yogurt or with tahini sauce. In this recipe you have the option of using olive oil, which is traditional; but use a work-horse oil, not the expensive oil you reserve for drizzling and dressing salads.

Featured in: Fear of Frying

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Ingredients

Yield:Serves 8

  • ½cup spicy Egyptian dukkah
  • ½cup plus 1 tablespoon cornstarch, rice flour or flour (more as desired)
  • ½teaspoon baking powder
  • ½teaspoon salt
  • cup sparkling water
  • 3 to 6tablespoons chickpea flour, as desired (optional)
  • 1cauliflower, cut into small florets
  • Canola oil, grapeseed oil or olive oil for frying

Ingredient Substitution Guide

Nutritional analysis per serving (8 servings)

235 calories; 18 grams fat; 1 gram saturated fat; 0 grams trans fat; 11 grams monounsaturated fat; 5 grams polyunsaturated fat; 17 grams carbohydrates; 5 grams dietary fiber; 2 grams sugars; 3 grams protein; 199 milligrams sodium

Note: The information shown is Edamam’s estimate based on available ingredients and preparation. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.

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Deep-Fried Cauliflower With Crispy Dukkah Coating Recipe (2)

Preparation

  1. Step

    1

    In a medium bowl, whisk together dukkah, cornstarch (or flour), baking powder and salt. Whisk in sparkling water. Depending on the consistency of your dukkah, the batter may seem thin, but try deep-frying a few pieces of cauliflower first to see if you want to thicken it with a little more cornstarch or flour.

  2. Step

    2

    Pour oil into a wok or wide saucepan to a depth of 3 inches and heat over medium-high heat to 360 to 375 degrees. Set up a sheet pan with a rack on it next to pan. Cover rack with a few layers of paper towels. Have a spider or deep fry skimmer handy for removing cauliflower from oil.

  3. Place a few pieces of cauliflower in batter and, using tongs, turn them over several times to coat thoroughly. Transfer to hot oil and fry until golden brown, which should not take more than a couple of minutes. Flip over with spider to make sure coating is evenly fried. It is important not to crowd pan and to let oil come back up to temperature between batches. After first batch you can decide if you want to add a little more flour to batter.

  4. Step

    4

    Using the spider, remove cauliflower from oil, allowing excess oil to drip back into pan, and drain on the towel-covered rack. Sprinkle with salt right away if desired. Allow to cool slightly and serve.

Tip

  • Serve soon after deep-frying, while still nice and crispy.

Ratings

5

out of 5

67

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Private Notes

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Cooking Notes

Marjorie L

Here's the link to make your own dukkah:
http://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/1014698-spicy-egyptian-dukkah-with-ch...

HKW

This was so good! I used Trader Joe’s dukkah, which is not spicy, but added chile flakes. Also used rice flour and the maximum garbanzo flour and had to add a lot more seltzer to thin it out. Added more flour and seltzer randomly as I added more cauliflower and it seems very unfinicky. Three batches disappeared!

tiger squeakily, jr.

What is a spider?

LaDonna

This is wonderful! Dukkah was hard to find so I made my own.

Kathleen

Easy recipe (once you've made the dukkah, anyway), delicious, and a novel way to serve cauliflower. The batter cooks up beautifully crisp and doesn't absorb much oil, while the cauliflower turns out tender-crisp. The only thing I would add is maybe a dip alongside to counter the savory flavor profile -- some variation on tzatziki, perhaps. I could easily snack on these as I would chips, and will try them as an appetizer for parties.

Marjorie L

Here's the link to make your own dukkah:
http://cooking.nytimes.com/recipes/1014698-spicy-egyptian-dukkah-with-ch...

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Deep-Fried Cauliflower With Crispy Dukkah Coating Recipe (2024)

FAQs

Why is my fried cauliflower mushy? ›

The secret to giving cauliflower the perfect texture when battering and frying, is to not parboil it. When you fry cauliflower with batter, it also cooks the cauliflower. So if you parboil beforehand, you will end up with mushy cauliflower.

How many calories are in deep fried cauliflower? ›

Fried cauliflower contains 183 calories per 85 g serving. This serving contains 11 g of fat, 3.3 g of protein and 18 g of carbohydrate. The latter is 0.9 g sugar and 1.4 g of dietary fiber, the rest is complex carbohydrate. Fried cauliflower contains 1.6 g of saturated fat and 8.5 mg of cholesterol per serving.

Why isn't my roasted cauliflower crispy? ›

Crowding the Baking Sheet

Cauliflower has a very high water content, so it won't get crispy if you bake the florets crowded together. "Be sure to give each floret a bit of room so that the they have space for airflow. I'd also recommend baking them on a silicone baking mat," says Blay.

Why do you soak cauliflower before cooking? ›

This process – which should last 10-20 minutes - destroys several microbes and large parasites. As cauliflower is highly susceptible to microbial attacks, it should be washed once again. This time, boil some water and put the cauliflower florets in it. Keep for five minutes and remove from the hot water.

Does frying cauliflower destroy nutrients? ›

However, cooking the veggie at higher temperatures can take a toll on some of its nutrients. “When you cook cauliflower, such as baking cauliflower pizza crust, sauteing cauliflower rice, or air-frying cauliflower tots, heat will diminish some—but not all—of the heat-sensitive vitamins, including vitamin C."

Is it OK to eat fried cauliflower? ›

One Crispy Fried Cauliflower is high in

1. Vitamin B1 : Vitamin B1 protects nerves, helps in carbohydrate metabolism, prevents heart diseases and helps produce red blood cells.

How many carbs are in crispy cauliflower? ›

Habitant Crispy Cauliflower (1 serving) contains 26g total carbs, 16g net carbs, 34g fat, 15g protein, and 440 calories.

How do you get moisture out of cauliflower? ›

The best way to deal with the liquid is to put the riced cauliflower in a covered microwave-safe dish, heat it thoroughly to get all the liquid out of it you can, then drain it. If you have to cook it on the stovetop, add as little water as possible and stir frequently to keep it from sticking to the pan.

Why is my roasted cauliflower soft? ›

QUICK COOKING TIP: Be careful how much olive oil you use when roasting cauliflower. The cauliflower florets tend to absorb a lot of the oil when you pour it over them and I have seen so many people add way too much oil. If there is too much, the cauliflower tends to turn mushy. Nobody likes mushy roasted cauliflower.

How do you firm up mashed cauliflower? ›

Here are some popular options:
  1. Cream or Milk: Incorporate heavy cream, half-and-half, or whole milk to add creaminess to mashed cauliflower. Gradually add small amounts until you achieve the desired thickness.
  2. Butter: Butter contributes richness and helps achieve a smoother texture. ...
  3. Greek Yogurt or Sour Cream:
Apr 11, 2023

How do you squeeze moisture out of cauliflower? ›

Once the riced cauliflower has been cooked (or thawed), transfer it to a clean, thin dishtowel. Wrap up the steamed rice in the dishtowel, twist it up, then SQUEEZE all the excess moisture out! (Be careful if your cauliflower is still hot-- let it cool before handling.)

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