Crispy Broccoli Parmesan Fritters

Broccoli will never have to taste so bland again!!!

Why not switch up the way you cook broccoli and make fritters instead? Incorporating all the goodness of broccoli with some naughty indulgence of parmesan, I present to you thy crispy broccoli fritter. Serve these crispy fritters with some greek yoghurt and a squeeze of lemon juice (I swirled in some pesto too). Vegetables no longer have to taste so bland ever again! In fact, your children (for those of you who have them) may even like it so much that they will be  persistently asking you to fry them some everyday.

Broccoli is one of the most nutrient-dense foods. It is especially rich in Vitamin C and an excellent source of vitamins K, A, B6 and E, as well as folic accident fibre. It is a very good source of phosphorous, potassium, magnesium. It also contains glucosinolates, phytochemical with tremendous anticancer effects, and the carotenoid lutein. A 3/5 ounce (100 gram) searching of cooked broccoli provides 35 calories, 2/3 grams of protein, no cholesterol, 0.4 gram of fat, 7.2 grams of carbohydrate, and 3.3 grams of fibre.

Broccoli demonstrates remarkable anticancer effects, particularly in breast cancer. Compounds know as glucosinolates, specifically indole-3-carbinol and sulforaphane, increase the excretion of the form of oestrogen linked to breast cancer. Indole-3-carbinol also increases the ability of the liver to detoxify toxic compounds as well as decreases the growth of human papillomavirus (a virus linked to cervical cancer; and hence the widely encouraged Gardicil vaccination for young women). Broccoli is also a rich source of lutein, which has also demonstrated anticancer effects. It may also be helpful in warding against the development of age-related macular degeneration, as this carotenoid is concentrated in the retina, where it acts to protect it from damage.

Preliminary studies suggest that, in order to cut the risk of chancery half, the average person would need to eat about two pounds of broccoli or similar vegetables per week.

INGREDIENTS (yields 5):

•  1 small-medium sized bundle of broccoli (~225 grams / 3 cups chopped)
• 1 large egg
• 1/2 cup of all-purpose/wholemeal flour
• 1/3 cup of freshly grated parmesan
• 1/2 teaspoon of kosher salt (or more), to taste
• A pinch of red chilli flakes or ground black pepper
• Olive oil, for frying
• Greek yoghurt and dash of lemon juice to serve (optional)

METHOD:

1) Prepare your broccoli. Wash and separate the florets from the biggest stem(s). Chop florets into 1-inch chunks. Steam florets until tender but not mushy. (NB: lazy method is to just simply boil them).

2) Mash the steamed broccoli with a potato masher keeping the bits recognisable.

2) Whisk the egg into a large bowl. Add the flour, grated parmesan, salt and pepper. Mix together.

3) Add in mashed broccoli into mixture. Fold with spatula until everything is combined. Adjust seasonings to taste.

4) Heat a large, heavy skillet over medium-high heat. Once hot, add in ~2 tablespoon of oil. Once oil heats up add a large spoonful of the batter and flatten with back of spatula or spoon. Pan-fry until golden on both sides (~2 minutes each side). You can cook multiple fritters at the same time, just make sure they don’t touch one another. Once cooked, transfer each fritter to a paper towel to drain.

5) Serve fritters plain or with lemon juice. You can also serve with some greek yoghurt mixed with some lemon juice (I swirled in some additional pesto into my yoghurt).