Fried cauliflower
Fried cauliflower, also known as Zahra Mekleyah (Arabic الارنبيط المقلي , زهره مقليه), is a Levantine vegetarian dish served cold or hot, consisting of fried cauliflower, often accompanied by tahini sauce, lettuce, parsley and tomatoes, served on pita bread or sliced bread, often grilled or toasted. Variations include curried and roasted cauliflower, bell peppers, or a garlic lemon vinaigrette. It can also be eaten as a sandwich using pita bread, sprinkled with cumin, salt, and lemon juice. A similar version called "Menazla zahra" made in Syria consists of fried cauliflower, garlic, ground beef, cilantro, cumin, and salt.
Non-vegan versions may contain eggs, beef, mozzarella or other types of cheese.
Another very popular example of a fried cauliflower dish is Gobi Manchurian, an Indian-Chinese creation of crispy, battered deep-fried cauliflower with a spicy tomato sauce. "Gobi," sometimes spelled "gobhi," is Hindi for "cauliflower."
