If you’re looking to elevate your culinary repertoire with a unique and delicious dish, the Cypriot cauliflower recipe is a must-try.
In Greek, this dish is called Kounoupidi me Hylo (kou-Knoo-PEE-dhi MEH chee-LOH).
This delightful cauliflower recipe transforms simple cauliflower into a crispy, cheesy sensation that will leave your taste buds craving for more.
Combining the earthy flavours of cauliflower with a golden, beer-infused batter, this dish is a perfect blend of texture and taste.
This is a recipe which my mother used to prepare for us.
When we were children and could not find anything sweet to eat, we loved adding sugar on it and ate it as a dessert.
I do not remember what ingredients she added but I tried to recreate it giving it my tweak by adding some cheese in the batter.

If you like cauliflower, check out my Kounoupidi Kapamas recipe.
See also my Battered Cod recipe.
Ingredients needed to make this Cypriot Cauliflower:
- Cauliflower
- Olive oil for frying
- Egg white
- All purpose flour
- Corn flour (starch)
- Sea salt
- White pepper
- Beer
- Extra virgin olive oil
- Lemon juice
- Grated cheese such as kefalotyri, feta, halloumi or parmesan
- Cold water
Directions:
Cut each cluster from the core, leaving a little of the stem with each cluster.
Place water in a saucepan, bring to the boil, add the cauliflower pieces and cook for about 5 minutes. Drain and allow to cool.

Make the batter.
Beat one egg white into meringue.
In a bowl add the flour, corn flour, salt and pepper, the beer, the olive oil and lemon juice and start mixing adding some cold water until you have a thick batter.

Mix in the cheese. Finally add the egg white and mix.
Heat the olive oil.
Coat the cauliflower with batter and fry until golden brown.
Place on kitchen paper to absorb excess oil.
Serve with Tahini Dip or Garlic Dip.
Alternatively, you can serve it with a Spicy Tomato Sauce.

Crispy Battered Cypriot Cauliflower
This delightful cauliflower recipe transforms simple cauliflower into a crispy, cheesy sensation that will leave your taste buds craving for more.
Ingredients
- 1 head cauliflower (about 600 to 700 gr.)
- Olive oil, for frying
For the batter:
- 1 egg white
- 1 cup all purpose flour
- ¼ cup corn flour (starch)
- ½ tsp salt
- White pepper
- ½ cup beer
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 1 tbsp lemon juice
- 1 cup of grated cheese such as kefalotyri, feta, halloumi or parmesan
- Cold water, just enough to make the water runny
Instructions
1. Prepare the Cauliflower:
Cut the cauliflower into clusters, leaving a little stem attached to each.·
Boil water in a saucepan, add the cauliflower pieces, and cook for approximately 5 minutes.
Drain the cauliflower and allow it to cool.
2. Create the Batter:
Beat one egg white into a fluffy meringue in a separate bowl.
In a mixing bowl, combine flour, corn flour, salt, and white pepper.·
Add beer, olive oil, and lemon juice to the dry ingredients, gradually mixing and incorporating cold water until a thick batter forms.·
Stir in the grated cheese and finally fold in the whipped egg white.
3. Fry to Perfection:
Heat olive oil in a pan for frying.
Dip each cauliflower cluster into the batter, ensuring an even coating.
Carefully place the battered cauliflower into the hot oil, frying until golden brown on all sides.
Once fried, transfer the cauliflower to a plate lined with kitchen paper to absorb excess oil.
4. Serve and Enjoy:
Arrange the crispy cauliflower clusters on a serving platter.·
Garnish with fresh herbs or a squeeze of lemon for added zest.
Serve hot and savour the irresistible combination of crispy batter and gooey cheese complementing the tender cauliflower.
Serve with Tahini Dip or Garlic Dip.
Alternatively, you can serve it with a Spicy Tomato Sauce.
Nutrition Information
Yield 7 Serving Size 1Amount Per Serving Calories 252Total Fat 14gSaturated Fat 5gTrans Fat 0gUnsaturated Fat 8gCholesterol 23mgSodium 370mgCarbohydrates 22gFiber 3gSugar 2gProtein 10g
"These values are automatically calculated and offered for guidance only. Their accuracy is not guaranteed."

Kopiaste and Kali Orexi,

Ivy
Friday 4th of January 2008
I would like to know how you make the marinara. Shall check on your site to see if you have the recipe. I also love tahini and I make a tahini dip. I don't know if that would do.
JennDZ - The Leftover Queen
Friday 4th of January 2008
This is somethng my Calabrese grandmother used to make - we had it with marinara. I also love it the Lebanese way, served with Tahini.
Ivy
Saturday 29th of December 2007
Thanks Mona for stopping by. Hope you'll like them.
Mona
Saturday 29th of December 2007
Hi Ivy, I always make a slightly different kind of these cauliflower fritters. Shall try your version with cheese too sometime, thnx for sharing..
www.monaafzal.wordpress.com
Ivy
Friday 28th of December 2007
Actually, my mother used to do it without the cheese. I forgot to mention that the cheese was my addition to the recipe.