Air Fryer Recipe

Crispy Cauliflower Skewers

• Prep: 10 min
• Cook: 15 min
• Total: 25 min
• Serves: 4
• Category: Sides
• Print Recipe

Cauliflower skewers shine when their edges are craggy and browned, with tender centres. The air fryer is ideal for this dish, as it quickly dries the spiced coating, ensuring a crisp finish without overcooking the cauliflower.

Ingredients

• 1 medium cauliflower, about 650–750g before trimming, cut into bite-sized florets with a little stem attached
• 2 tbsp neutral oil, such as rapeseed or sunflower, plus a little extra for brushing
• 80g Greek-style yoghurt, or unsweetened dairy-free yoghurt for a vegan version
• 45g gram flour/chickpea flour
• 20g cornflour
• 1 tbsp lemon juice
• 2 tsp tomato purée
• 1 tsp ground cumin
• 1 tsp ground coriander
• 1 tsp smoked paprika
• ½ tsp ground turmeric
• ½ tsp garlic granules
• ½ tsp fine sea salt, plus extra to finish if needed
• ¼ tsp chilli powder, or more to taste
• 1 tbsp finely chopped fresh coriander, to finish
• Lemon wedges, to serve
• 6–8 short bamboo skewers, 15–18cm long, or longer skewers trimmed to fit your basket

Method

1. Soak bamboo skewers in cold water for 15 minutes if they look very dry, then pat them dry.
2. Trim skewers so they sit flat in the air-fryer basket without pressing against the sides.
3. Cut the cauliflower into florets roughly 3–4cm across, keeping a short piece of stem on each one.
4. Bring a pan of salted water to the boil and blanch the cauliflower for 2 minutes, then drain well and spread on a clean tea towel for 8–10 minutes.
5. In a large bowl, mix the yoghurt, oil, lemon juice, and tomato purée until smooth.
6. Stir in the gram flour, cornflour, cumin, coriander, paprika, turmeric, garlic granules, salt, and chilli powder to make a thick batter.
7. Add the dried cauliflower and turn gently with a spatula until every floret is coated.
8. Let it stand for 10 minutes while the air fryer preheats to 190°C.
9. Thread 4–5 florets onto each skewer, leaving a small gap between pieces.
10. Arrange the skewers in a single layer in the basket and brush or spray the exposed surfaces lightly with oil.
11. Air fry at 190°C for 8 minutes, then turn the skewers with tongs.
12. Brush any dry-looking spots with a little oil and cook for another 5–7 minutes.
13. For extra crunch, raise the temperature to 200°C for the final 1–2 minutes, watching closely.
14. Remove the skewers to a plate, scatter with fresh coriander, and serve with lemon wedges.

Nutrition

Calories: 250

• #cauliflower
• #air fryer
• #vegetarian
• #spicy
• #snack