Another Grainless Wonder: Curried Zucchini Cakes

Sometimes things just JUMP into my shopping cart. Like zucchini. I bet you were thinking Oreos, but no, those NEVER jump in MY cart. I don’t like them all that much. Perversely, I love zucchini and Chuck absolutely hates it. So of course, it just happens to hop into my cart quite often. Odd.

I started playing with this recipe last summer when the zucchini plants in the garden were popping out little zucchies as fast as they could. Had been tinkering with coconut flour, too, at the time as a replacement for grain flour in some recipes. I wanted something that didn’t really have Mediterranean flavors, and also something that was grain-free. Coconut flour is the perfect solution in this recipe. These cakes are vegetarian (if you eat eggs), gluten -free, and can be dairy-free if you omit the yogurt on top and substitute a dab of hummus.

These tender pancakes are loaded with flavor, and are very easy to make. I couldn’t decide what to call them—pancakes, flapjacks, fritters, so the ubiquitous “cakes” won out. I think you’ll like these, and will just call them good. Serve them up with a big dollop of plain Green yogurt on top. I ate 5 of these as soon as I finished up with the pictures.

So hard to take a picture when they smell so good!

Now, if you are a purist, replace the curry powder (hot or sweet) with ½ teas ground coriander, ½ teas ground turmeric and ½ teas ground cumin. I am not a purist and have a couple of enormous bags of Penzey’s curry powders. Plus when I use the other spices, I feel obligated to grind them fresh, toasted first. Not happening when I am hungry.

Note: I use organic canola oil as regular canola oil is made from genetically modified seeds, organic is not.

Curried Zucchini Cakes

1-1/2 lb zucchini, shredded, salted lightly and squeezed dry

1 scallion, white and pale green part minced

3 large eggs

¼ cup coconut flour

1 tsp Madras Curry Powder

½ tsp baking powder

Dash of sea salt

2 T+ organic canola oil  safflower for frying

Make sure you’ve squeezed as much liquid as you can from the shredded zucchini. Mix the zucchini and the scallion with the eggs in a medium bowl and beat well with a wooden spoon.

In another medium bowl, mix the coconut flour, the curry powder (or the spices) the baking powder and the salt. Dump the dry ingredients into the zucchini-egg mix and stir into a thick batter.

Don't rush, let them get just past golden brown on the bottom before you turn.
Peek under one every now and then to check.

In a large nonstick frying pan, heat a tablespoon of the oil until it shimmers, over medium heat. Ladle in about 1/3 cup of the zucchini batter, per pancake. Cook until browned on the bottom, and then turn carefully. Repeat, adding more oil as necessary until all the batter is used. Keep the cooked cakes warm in a low oven until all are cooked. Serve hot with plain Greek yogurt and chives.

Make 12 cakes, serves 4.