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Fried Cauliflower with Tarator Sauce

Yields6 ServingsPrep Time30 minsTotal Time30 mins

Fried Cauliflower with Tarator Sauce is a common Lebanese dish. It is served with tarator or tahini sauce.

 1 head of cauliflower, free of blemishes
 1 cup pure olive oil (not extra virgin) or 4 cups of any vegetable oil, if deep-frying
 2 lemons, juice squeezed to equal 1/2 cup
 6 cloves of garlic, mashed or 1 heaping teaspoon of toom
 ½ tsp tahini
 ¼ cup water
 ¼ cup finely chopped parsley (optional)
 salt, to taste
1

Using a sharp knife cut the cauliflower into medium-sized florets. Heat some water in a pot and boil the cauliflower for a few minutes until tender. Alternatively, another method is to steam the cauliflower whole. Drain the florets in a sieve, and let it sit for a while, up to 2 days, refrigerated and covered.

2

When you are ready to continue, heat some oil in a skillet till it reaches a temperature of 375F. Dry the cauliflower florets removing as much moisture as possible. Brown the florets gently. Remove from the oil and drain on a dish covered with paper towels. Another method would be to roast the cauliflower in a 350F oven till tender, about 30 minutes. Make sure to grease the vegetable with some olive or other vegetable oil first. Brown it briefly under the broiler till it has brown specks throughout. Yet another method, and the one I use now because it is the fastest, is to heat 4 cups of canola oil in a deep-fryer to 375F, then drop the cauliflower in the basket in the hot oil for about 10 minutes, until it browns all over. Then remove the cauliflower and drains on paper towels or several thicknesses of paper bags. Set is on a serving platter and make the sauce.

Nutrition Facts

Servings 0