Zucchini and Sumac Fritters With Tomato and Mint Salsa

These fritters could be served as appetizers, as a side dish or as one of several vegetarian dishes. It's the closest recipe I've found for some delicious zucchini fritters I ate and loved some years ago, though I'm pretty sure that they didn't have sumac in them, and sumac adds a lot of flavour. When I inquired after the recipe at the time, the Greek woman who'd made them she named the key ingredients but was very dismissive of them. I felt as if to her it was if I'd asked how to make something as simple as say a basic bread and butter sandwich with a slice of cheese in it! This recipe is from the Australian Women's Weekly's 'fresh food fast: delicious no fuss healthy recipes'. Australian brown onions are what Americans call yellow onions. Sumac, if you've not used it is defined (in the same recipe book) as "a purple-red astringent spice ground from berries that grow on shrubs that flourish wild around the Mediterranean; has a tart, lemony flavour. Found in Middle-Eastern food stores. Substitute: 1/8 teaspoon five-spice plus 1/2 teaspoon lemon pepper plus 1/8 teaspoon all spice equals 3/4 teaspoon sumac". I've found that I can purchase it readily from more upmarket supermarkets and European delicatessens.

• Ready In: 35 mins
• Serves: 4

Ingredients

• 6  medium zucchini, coarsely grated
• 1  medium  brown onion, finely chopped
• 1 1⁄4 cups  stale  breadcrumbs, processed
• 3  eggs
• 2  tablespoons fresh oregano, finely chopped
• 1  teaspoon  sumac
• 2  tablespoons olive oil
• 3  medium tomatoes, seeded, finely chopped
• 1⁄4 cup of fresh mint, coarsely chopped
• 1⁄2 cup  Greek yogurt

Directions

1. Squeeze the excess liquid from the zucchini using absorbent paper until it is as dry as possible or literally squeeze-dry a handful at a time in your hand; combine the zucchini in a medium-sized bowl with the onion, breadcrumbs, eggs, oregano and sumac.
2. Heat the oil in a large, preferably non-stick pan; drop rounded tablespoons of the zucchini mixture in batches, into the pan; cook until browned on both sides and cooked through.
3. Meanwhile, combine the tomato and mint in a small bowl; serve the fritters with the tomato and mint salad, accompanied by yoghurt.