30 in 30: courgette fritters with mint raita and salad

This week's recipe for two that can be made in under 30 minutes for no more than Dh30.

Courgette fritters with mint raita for 30 in 30. Courtesy Scott Price

Courgette fritters with mint raita and salad

Fresh ingredients:

600g courgette

1 bulb garlic

1 bunch spring onions

1 bunch mint

1 bunch parsley

1 lemon

mixed salad leaves

Dairy:

1 small pot thick, plain yogurt

100g feta cheese

Total cost: Dh28

Coarsely grate the courgette, sprinkle with salt and leave to drain in a colander while you prepare the other ingredients.

Peel and finely chop two garlic cloves, finely slice the spring onions and pick and chop the mint and parsley leaves. Crumble the feta into pieces. Slice the lemon in half.

Tip the yogurt into a small bowl, stir in a generous squeeze of lemon juice, half the mint leaves and a quarter teaspoon of finely chopped garlic. Season with salt and black pepper and set aside.

Make a basic vinaigrette by whisking together three tablespoons of olive oil and a tablespoon of white vinegar. Season with salt and pepper. Turn your oven on low.

Squeeze as much excess water out of the grated courgette as possible, then place the flesh in a large bowl. Add the remaining garlic and mint leaves, the chopped parsley, spring onions, feta, zest and juice of the other lemon half and one beaten egg. Season with black pepper and just a touch of salt (the courgettes have already been salted) and mix together until thoroughly combined. If the mixture seems too wet, add a tablespoon or two of plain flour.

Place a large frying pan containing a couple of tablespoons of oil over a medium heat. When the oil is hot, add heaped tablespoons of the batter to the pan, flattening the balls down slightly with the back of a spoon. Cook for a two to three minutes on each side until golden, than transfer to a tray and keep warm in the oven while you prepare the remaining fritters.

Dress the salad leaves with the vinaigrette and serve alongside the fritters and raita.

The 30 in 30 recipe works on the premise that you have some basic store staples – such as oil, vinegar, butter, salt and pepper – at your disposal