Golden za’atar onion rings with buttermilk caraway dipping sauce
I love fried food and herby dips but there’s a more profound message embedded here. The combination of hot and cold temperatures is a joyful experience. The concept of contrasting temperatures works elegantly when hot, crispy onion rings kissed with turmeric and za’atar are dunked into the cold herby buttermilk dipping sauce. Serve with chilled ginger ale or beer.
SERVES 4-6 | PREP 20 MINS | COOK 15 MINS EASY | V
2 extra-large onions, sliced into 1.5cm thick rings and separated
280g plain flour
70g cornflour
1 tsp ground black pepper
1 tsp ground turmeric
480ml buttermilk
rapeseed or sunflower oil (or other neutral oil), for deep-frying
2 tbsp za’atar
BUTTERMILK CARAWAY DIPPING SAUCE
240ml plain unsweetened buttermilk or kefir
20g coriander, chopped
5g dill, chopped
2 garlic cloves, roughly chopped
1 green chilli (such as jalapeño), roughly chopped
1 tsp caraway seeds
1 To prepare the onion rings, toss the sliced onions with 1 tsp of fine sea salt in a large mixing bowl. Cover and leave to sit for 1 hr at room temperature.
Meanwhile, prepare the dipping sauce. In a blender or a food processor, whizz the buttermilk, coriander, dill, garlic, chilli and caraway seeds for 30 seconds-1 min or until smooth. Taste and season with fine sea salt. Transfer to a small serving bowl, cover and keep chilled until ready to serve. The sauce can be made ahead and stored in an
