Spicy cauliflower-filled pancakes with coriander yogurt sauce
Cumin is the star of the spice rack as far as this vegetarian recipe's concerned; it's used in both the crepe batter and the flavourful cauliflower filling. Serve this dish with salad for a light lunch or dinner
Serves 4-6
Pancakes:
10ml (2 tsp) cumin seeds
30ml (2 tbsp) olive oil
1 green chilli, seeded and finely chopped
2 garlic cloves, chopped
3cm fresh root ginger, peeled and grated
120g (1 cup) wheat flour (or a banting-friendly flour substitute)
Salt and pepper
1 extra-large egg, lightly beaten
275ml full-cream milk, plus extra if needed
Oil, for frying
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Cauliflower filling:
1 head of cauliflower, broken into florets
Oil, for frying
5ml (1 tsp) ground cumin
2.5ml (½ tsp) ground turmeric
2.5ml (½ tsp) cayenne pepper
5ml (1 tsp) salt
To serve:
250ml (1 cup) full-fat plain yoghurt
Bunch of fresh coriander, finely chopped
Method:
1) For the pancakes, dry-fry the cumin seeds in a pan till aromatic, then add half the olive oil with the chilli, garlic and ginger and stir-fry for 2 minutes. Remove from the heat and transfer to a mixing bowl.
2) Sift in the flour, mix well and season.
3) Make a well in the centre and add the beaten egg and half the milk. Whisk together until smooth.
4) Add the remaining milk and continue mixing till smooth, then whisk in the remaining 15ml olive oil. Cover and rest in the fridge for 15 minutes.
5) For the cauliflower filling, heat a pot of oil till hot enough that a cube of white bread browns in 30 seconds, then fry the cauliflower florets till golden brown on the edges. Remove from oil and place on paper towel to drain.
6) Combine the cumin, turmeric, cayenne pepper and salt. Sprinkle over the hot cauliflower and toss to mix.
7) To fry the pancakes, heat a large, non-stick frying pan, add a little oil, swirl around and pour off excess. Whisk the batter and add a little more milk if too thick. Pour a ladleful of batter into the pan and swirl to cover the base. Cook for a minute, then flip and cook the other side. Remove and keep warm while repeating for remaining batter.
8) To serve, mix the yoghurt and coriander together to form a sauce. Place a spoonful of cauliflower filling in each pancake, drizzle with a little yoghurt mixture and roll up.