Potato-Cauliflower Fritters with Minty Yogurt

These golden fritters, made from a mixture of spiced potato and cauliflower, are as crispy as a Tater Tot but with much more personality. You can make the potato mixture ahead, but don’t cook them until you’re ready to serve—they’re best when freshly fried and hot. If you want to make them gluten-free, substitute rice flour for all-purpose in the dredge and use gluten-free panko crumbs.

Makes about 20 fritters; serves 4 to 6 as a snack or appetizer

• 1½ pounds Yukon Gold potatoes, peeled and cut into 1-inch cubes
• Diamon Crystal kosher salt
• 3 cups bite-size cauliflower florets (about 1 pound)
• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 small onion, finely diced (about 1 cup)
• 2 teaspoons Evermill brown mustard seeds
• 1 teaspoon Evermill turmeric
• ¼ to ½ teaspoon Evermill cayenne
• ¼ cup finely chopped cilantro

• 1 cup Greek yogurt
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• ¼ cup finely chopped fresh mint
• Lemon juice, to taste

• ½ cup all-purpose or rice flour
• 2 large eggs, beaten
• 1 cup panko bread crumbs

Canola oil, for frying

Put the potatoes in a large saucepan and add water to cover by 2 inches. Bring to a boil, then add a generous amount of salt to the water. Boil under the potatoes are tender, about 10 minutes, then remove from the water with a spider or slotted spoon and transfer to a bowl. Add the cauliflower to the water and boil until tender, 5 to 6 minutes, then drain and add the bowl with the potatoes. With a potato masher, mash the potato-cauliflower mixture to a chunky paste.

In a medium frying pan over medium heat, combine the butter and olive oil. When the butter has melted, add the onion and a generous pinch of salt and cook, stirring, until the onion is beginning to soften, about 5 minutes. Add the mustard seeds, turmeric, and cayenne and cook, stirring, 1 minute more, taking care as the mustard seeds may begin to hop and pop in the pan. Transfer to the bowl with the potato mixture and stir well to combine. Stir in the cilantro, then taste the mixture and season to taste with additional salt and cayenne. Let the mixture stand until cool enough to handle, then shape it into 20 rounded footballs, each about 2 inches long and 1 inch wide, setting them on a sheet pan. The fritters can be cooked right away, or you can cover the pan with plastic wrap and refrigerate for a few hours or up to overnight before breading and frying.

Make the yogurt sauce: In a small bowl, stir together the yogurt, garlic, mint, and lemon juice. Season to taste with salt and set aside until ready to serve.

When you’re ready to fry the fritters, pour a 3-inch depth of canola oil into a large, high-sided Dutch oven or other heavy-bottomed pot. Heat the oil over medium-high heat until it registers 350 degrees F on a deep-frying thermometer.

Pour the flour onto a rimmed plate. In a medium bowl, beat the eggs. Pour the panko crumbs on a second rimmed plate. Working with one fritter at a time, roll in flour to coat, then transfer to the beaten eggs, turning to coat, then finally to the panko, rolling the fritter so it’s breaded on all sides with panko, then return to the baking sheet. It can be helpful to use one hand to roll the fritter in the flour and panko and the other for dipping the fritter in the egg, otherwise your fingers can get breaded, too. Repeat until all the fritters are breaded.

Line a baking sheet or plate with paper towels and set nearby. Working in batches, carefully add the fritters to the hot oil and fry until golden brown, 3 to 4 minutes, letting the oil return to temperature between batches. Remove from the oil with a spider or slotted spoon and transfer to the paper towel-lined baking sheet to drain. Season with salt and serve hot, with the minty yogurt alongside.