Equipment
Ingredients
Vegetable Fritters
- 250 g zucchini, grated
- 5 g salt
- 100 g carrot, peeled and grated
- 75 g corn kernels, drained if canned, thawed if frozen
- 30 g scallions, thinly sliced
- 60 g all-purpose flour
- 1 egg, lightly beaten
- 4 g baking powder
- 2 g black pepper, freshly ground
- 45 ml olive oil
Lemony Cucumber Dip
- 150 g plain greek yogurt, full fat preferred
- 100 g cucumber, grated and squeezed of excess liquid
- 15 ml lemon juice, freshly squeezed
- 2 g lemon zest, finely grated
- 5 g fresh dill, finely chopped
- 1 garlic, minced or pressed
- 2 g salt
Nutrition (per serving)
Nutrition is estimated per serving. Nutrients without complete source data are omitted.
Full nutrition
- Calories
- 80 kcal
- Protein
- 4 g
- Carbohydrates
- 13 g
- Fat
- 2 g
- Fiber
- 3 g
- Sugar
- 4 g
- Sodium
- 136 mg
- Saturated Fat
- 0 g
- Monounsaturated Fat
- 1 g
- Polyunsaturated Fat
- 0 g
- Potassium
- 466 mg
- Calcium
- 62 mg
- Iron
- 0.9 mg
- Magnesium
- 25 mg
- Phosphorus
- 110 mg
- Zinc
- 0.5 mg
- Vitamin A
- 323 mcg
- Vitamin C
- 12 mg
- Vitamin E
- 0.6 mg
- Vitamin K
- 15 mcg
- Vitamin B6
- 0.2 mg
- Thiamin
- 0.07 mg
- Riboflavin
- 0.06 mg
- Niacin
- 0.9 mg
- Folate
- 14 mcg
- Water
- 38 g
Sources: Aggregated Public Data, USDA FoodData Central
Method
Place the grated zucchini in a colander and toss with the 5 grams of salt. Let it rest for 15 minutes to draw out the natural moisture.
While the zucchini rests, prepare the dip. In a bowl, combine the grated and drained cucumber, Greek yogurt, lemon juice, lemon zest, fresh dill, minced garlic, and salt. Stir well to combine, then cover and chill in the refrigerator.
Transfer the salted zucchini to the center of a clean kitchen towel. Gather the edges and twist tightly over the sink to wring out and discard as much liquid as humanly possible.
In a large mixing bowl, break up the dried zucchini clumps. Add the grated carrot, corn kernels, scallions, flour, egg, baking powder, and black pepper. Stir until the mixture is evenly combined and forms a thick batter.
Heat the olive oil in a large frying pan over medium heat, bringing the temperature to approximately 180°C or 350°F.
Drop two-tablespoon portions of the vegetable batter into the hot pan, leaving space between each. Use the back of your spatula to gently flatten them into disks. Fry undisturbed for 3 to 4 minutes.
Carefully flip each fritter and continue frying for another 3 minutes until the second side is equally golden and the center is cooked through.
Transfer the cooked fritters to a plate lined with paper towels to absorb excess oil. Serve immediately while warm, accompanied by the chilled lemony cucumber dip.
Chef's Notes
- Wringing out the zucchini is the single most important step for achieving a crispy texture. Do not rush the resting or squeezing phases.
- If you want an extra crunchy crust, substitute one quarter of the all-purpose flour with cornstarch.
- When frying, do not overcrowd the pan. Cooking in batches prevents the pan temperature from dropping, which would cause the fritters to absorb oil and become greasy.
- For the best consistency in the dip, remove the seeds from your cucumber before grating, as the seed core holds the most water.
Storage
Refrigerator: 3 days — Store fritters and dip in separate airtight containers.
Freezer: 1 month — Freeze cooked fritters only. Do not freeze the yogurt dip.
Reheating: Reheat fritters in an oven at 200 degrees Celsius (400 degrees Fahrenheit) for 5 to 8 minutes to restore crispness. Do not microwave.
Troubleshooting
Fritters fall apart in the pan or become soggy instead of crisp
Cause: Too much water remained in the zucchini before mixing the batter
Fix: Stir an extra tablespoon or two of flour into the remaining batter to absorb the extra moisture.
Prevention: Allow the salted zucchini full time to rest, and twist it very forcefully in a kitchen towel to remove every possible drop of water.
Fritters are burnt on the outside but raw in the middle
Cause: The pan was too hot or the fritters were formed too thickly
Fix: Lower the heat immediately. Transfer burnt-edged fritters to an oven baked at 160°C or 320°F to finish cooking the centers.
Prevention: Cook over moderate heat and press the batter flat immediately after dropping it into the pan.
Cultural Context
Vegetable fritters appear in numerous Mediterranean and Middle Eastern culinary traditions, most notably celebrated as Turkish mücver or Greek kolokithokeftedes. These regional classics were historically developed as a delicious, economical method to utilize abundant summer squash harvests while incorporating fresh herbs and local cheeses.
