Cauliflower & Cumin Fritters w. Lime Yogurt

Oh, you thought I just bought the Ottolenghi cookbook without a superior motive? Without something so serious it couldn't be, hey, found in a book in this country? Well think again.

If there is one word that can make me jump on amazon, buy a $30 hard-copy, and ship it from the UK, all within the first 10 minutes of hearing it, that word is.....FRITTER!

These fritters were first pitched by Nick's (previously mentioned) boss Pam Butz - her rave review was just an excuse to add yet another volume to my massive cookbook collection, all to make a meal out of fritters (well we ate a little salad on the side...mixed greens w. a mustard vinaigrette). The flavors in these delectable little patties remind me of the very best samosas - smokey and spicy but also creamy and rich.

Cauliflower & Cumin Fritters:
from Ottolenghi the Cookbook
1 small cauliflower
1 cup flour (I used whole wheat but regular is fine too, for GF use your favorite flour)
3 tbsp chopped flat-leaf parsley
1 garlic clove, crushed
2 shallots, finely chopped
4 farm fresh eggs
1 1/2 tsp ground cumin
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp ground turmeric
1 1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp black pepper
sunflower oil (enough to coat the bottom of your skillet)

1. Put all the sauce ingredients in a bowl and whisk well. Taste - looking for a vibrant, tart, citrusy flavor - and adjust the seasoning. Chill or leave out up to an hour.
2. To prepare the cauliflower, trim off any leaves and use a small knife to divide the cauliflower into little florets. Add them to a large pan of boiling salted water and simmer for 15 minutes or until very soft. Drain into a colander.
3. While the cauliflower is cooking, put the flour, chopped parsley, garlic, shallots, eggs, spices, salt & pepper in a bowl and whisk together well to make a batter. When the mixture is smooth and homogeneous, add the warm cauliflower. Mix to break down the cauliflower into the batter.
4. Pour the sunflower oil into a wide pan to a depth of 1.5 cm and heat up. When it is very hot, carefully spoon in generous portions of the oil. Space the fritters apart with a spatula if need be - making sure they are not overcrowded. Fry in small batches, controlling the oil temperature so the fritters cook but don't burn. They should take 3-4 minutes on each side.
5. Remove from the pan and set on a kitchen towel. Serve with the sauce on the side.

Lime Sauce:
1 cup Greek yogurt
2 tsps finely chopped cilantro
grated zest 1 lime
2 tsp lime juice
2 tbsp olive oil
salt & pepper