This recipe reminds me of my University years in Toronto when I was vegetarian and I would often find myself at the middle eastern shawarma shop at the corner of Bloor and Bathurst ordering a pita-stuffed with fried eggplant, cauliflower and tabbouleh sandwich drizzled with garlic sauce. Not sure if it was the hunger of being in my 20s or if that place really had the best food. I like to call these “Lebanese fries” as they are akin to the crunchy experience of eating French fries just slightly lower carb.

Oil for frying (canola, grapeseed or any other high flashpoint oil)

1 head cauliflower

1/2 cup tahini

Juice of two lemons

3 tablespoons olive oil

1 teaspoon salt

Directions:

Place a pot of boiling water on the stove and cut cauliflower into larger florets. Once water if boiling blanch cauliflower in water for 1 minute. Drain cauliflower and allow to dry completely on a kitchen towel.

Meanwhile make the tahini by adding remaining ingredients into a bowl and stirring well. This could also be prepared in a kitchen mixer. Add between 1/4 to 1/3 cup water to thin consistency of the tahini sauce. Adjust salt/lemon/water ratio as desired.

Now bring 2 inches of oil to heat in a heavy bottomed skillet and fry cauliflower florets in batches. Ensure oil is hot enough or else cauliflower will be soggy. Allow to brown in hot fat and rotate. Remove florets to a paper towel.

Serve with tahini sauce and sprinkle with chopped parsley if desired.