Air Fryer Recipe
Cauliflower Almond Bites
Cauliflower almond bites are a delightful snack or side, with a nutty, crispy coating that contrasts beautifully with the tender cauliflower inside. The air fryer is perfect for this dish, as it quickly dries and toasts the almond coating, preventing the cauliflower from becoming too soft.
Ingredients
- 1 medium cauliflower, about 700g before trimming, cut into 3–4cm florets
- 2 tbsp plain flour
- 2 large eggs, beaten
- 90g ground almonds
- 35g panko breadcrumbs
- 25g finely grated Parmesan
- 1 tsp smoked paprika
- 1 tsp garlic granules
- ½ tsp ground cumin
- ½ tsp fine sea salt, plus extra to finish
- ¼ tsp freshly ground black pepper
- 1½ tbsp olive oil, plus a little extra for spraying or brushing
- 1 tbsp lemon juice
- 2 tbsp chopped parsley or coriander
- 150g Greek yoghurt
- 1 tbsp tahini
- 1 tsp lemon juice
- pinch of salt
Method
- Trim the cauliflower into even 3–4cm florets, keeping a little stem attached.
- Pat the florets very dry with kitchen paper.
- Bring a pan of water to the boil, salt it lightly, and blanch the florets for 2 minutes.
- Drain well, spread on a clean tea towel, and leave for 8–10 minutes until the steam has stopped rising.
- Put the plain flour in one shallow dish and beat the eggs in a second dish.
- In a third dish or wide bowl, mix the ground almonds, panko, Parmesan, smoked paprika, garlic granules, cumin, salt, and pepper.
- Drizzle the olive oil into the almond mixture and rub it through with your fingertips until the crumbs look lightly damp.
- Coat the cauliflower in small handfuls: dust with flour, shake off the excess, dip in beaten egg, then press into the almond crumb.
- Preheat the air fryer to 190°C for 3 minutes if your model recommends it.
- Lightly oil the basket or place in a perforated liner, then arrange the bites in a single layer with a little space between pieces.
- Spray or brush the tops with a small amount of oil.
- Air fry at 190°C for 7 minutes.
- Turn the bites gently with tongs, then cook for another 5–7 minutes until deep golden in spots and tender when pierced through the stem.
- Finish with a squeeze of lemon juice, a pinch of salt, and chopped herbs.
- Serve immediately with the yoghurt-tahini dip if using.
Nutrition
Calories: 250
