Fried cauliflower with tahini

Ingredients

• 500ml - sunflower oil
• 2 - medium cauliflower heads (1kg in total), divided into small florets
• 8 - spring onions, each divided into three long segments
• 180g - light tahini paste
• 2 - garlic cloves, crushed
• 15g - flat-leaf parsley, chopped
• 15g - chopped mint, plus extra to finish
• 150g - Greek yoghurt
• 60ml - lemon juice, plus grated zest of 1 lemon
• 1 tsp - pomegranate molasses, plus extra to finish
• about 180ml water
• salt and black pepper

Procedure

1. Heat up the sunflower oil in a large saucepan placed on a medium– high heat. Using a pair of metal tongs or a metal spoon, carefully place a few cauliflower florets at a time into the oil and cook them for 2–3 minutes, turning them over so they colour evenly. Once golden brown, use a slotted spoon to lift the florets into a colander to drain. Sprinkle with a little salt. Continue in batches until you finish all the cauliflower. Next, fry the spring onion in batches but only for about 1 minute. Add to the cauliflower. Allow both to cool down a little.
2. Pour the tahini paste into a large mixing bowl and add the garlic, chopped herbs, yoghurt, lemon juice and zest, pomegranate molasses and some salt and pepper. Stir well with a wooden spoon as you add the water. The tahini sauce will thicken and then loosen up as you add water. Don’t add too much, just enough to get a thick, yet smooth, pourable consistency, a bit like honey.
3. Add the cauliflower and spring onion to the tahini and stir well. Taste and adjust the seasoning. You may also want to add more lemon juice.
4. To serve, spoon into a serving bowl and finish with a few drops of pomegranate molasses and some mint.