Zucchini is an incredibly versatile food, but one of my favorite ways to cook it is as a patty. They are super soft on the inside but the golden brown shell adds an irresistible crunch. Thanks to the freshly ground spices in the recipe, the patties have a subtle warmth and depth of flavor. Greek yogurt is a perfect dipping sauce because its tang offers a fresh contrast to the rest of the dish.
INGREDIENTS
- 2 medium zucchini
- ⅓ onion
- 1 clove garlic
- 2 tsp coriander seeds
- ½ tsp cumin seeds
- ½ tsp fenugreek seeds
- 1 tsp dried fenugreek leaves
- 1 tsp sweet paprika
- 1 large egg
- ⅓ cup breadcrumbs
- ¼ cup flour
- ⅓ tsp salt
- Olive oil for frying
PREPARATION
- Grate the zucchini using the largest shredding hole. Using a cheesecloth, thoroughly squeeze the liquid out of the grated zucchini.
- In a large pan, toast the coriander, cumin and fenugreek seeds until just fragrant, being sure to toss them around frequently. Set the toasted spices off to the side.
- Dice the onion and garlic.
- Add olive oil to the large pan and cook the onion over medium-low heat until translucent, stirring frequently.
- While the onions are cooking, use a mortar and pestle to grind up the toasted coriander, cumin and fenugreek seeds.
- Once the onions are translucent, add the garlic and cook for 1-2 minutes, adding more olive oil if necessary.
- Add the ground spices to the pan, along with the fenugreek leaves and sweet paprika. Combine with the onion and garlic mixture.
- Place the grated zucchini into a large bowl and add the egg. Stir it in. Add the spiced onion and garlic mixture along with the breadcrumbs, flour and salt. Gently combine with a spoon.
- Add more oil to the large pan. Form half of the mixture into small patties and add to the heated oil.
- Cook until golden brown on both sides and repeat with the remainder of the mixture.
Yields 6 small patties