Courgette and Corn Fritters with Herby Tahini Yogurt

Crispy fritters start with dry courgette

Courgette and corn give these fritters a clear contrast: courgette is mild and juicy, while the corn kernels add sweet little bites throughout the batter. Both vegetables are widely available in summer; frozen corn works just fine out of season. Once thawed, drain it well. Canned corn works too, as long as you rinse and pat the kernels dry so they don’t add extra moisture to the batter.

Courgette contains a lot of water. Tossing the grated courgette briefly with salt and then squeezing it firmly prevents the batter from becoming slack and the fritters from spreading in the pan. A clean tea towel or cheesecloth makes this easy; squeeze in batches if you’re not using a cloth. The salt draws moisture out of the vegetable, so taste the batter before adding more salt. The flour binds the vegetables, but the mixture should still be coarse and full of vegetables.

Fry small fritters in a thin layer of oil and leave plenty of space between them. This lets the heat brown the edges without the corn and courgette mostly steaming. Press each mound down gently with the back of a spoon; fritters that are too thick are harder to cook through in the middle. Keep the first batch warm on a wire rack in a low-temperature oven. Stacking them on a plate will soften the crisp underside more quickly.

Tahini yogurt adds creaminess and a lightly nutty flavor, while lime keeps the sauce bright and fresh. Stir in water a little at a time until it just runs off a spoon: tahini thickens at first, but then becomes smooth again. Use Greek yogurt for a rich sauce or regular yogurt for a thinner one. No coriander on hand? Flat-leaf parsley gives a different but fitting herbal note. You can leave out the chili oil or serve it on the side so everyone can decide how much heat they want.

The crisp lettuce and cucumber keep the plate light and crunchy alongside the warm fritters. Serve the sauce on the side or spoon a little onto the plate so the crust doesn’t soften straight away. Store leftovers covered in the fridge and reheat them before serving on a baking sheet in an oven at 190 °C until piping hot all the way through; this will make the edges a little crispier again. Store the salad and sauce separately.