Turmeric onion rings - Yotam Ottolenghi

If you have any marigolds or kitchen gloves then wear them when grating the turmeric: your fingers will end up a bit yellow otherwise. Serves four, as a snack.

400g buttermilk

60ml white-wine vinegar

40g peeled and finely grated fresh turmeric (or ½ tsp ground turmeric)

250g plain flour

4 tsp nigella seeds

2 tsp caraway seeds

Finely grated zest of 1 small lime, plus 2 tsp lime juice to serve

Salt

1 large white onion, peeled, cut into 2cm-thick pin wheels, then separated into individual rings

500ml vegetable oil, for frying

Mix the buttermilk, vinegar and turmeric and set aside. In a separate bowl, mix the flour, nigella, caraway, lime zest and three-quarters of a teaspoon of salt.

In batches, dip the onion rings into the flour so they are completely coated. Shake off any excess flour, then drop the rings into the buttermilk. Lift them out, again shaking off any excess, then coat again in flour. Keep the battered onion rings well separated on a couple of large plates, until you’re ready to fry.

Heat the oil in a medium saute pan on a medium-high flame. Once hot (about 170C), fry the onion rings in three or four batches for two to three minutes each, turning over halfway through, until golden-brown and crisp. Use a slotted spoon to lift them from the oil and on to a wire rack lined with kitchen towel. Sprinkle with a pinch of salt and repeat with the remaining onion rings. Serve warm with the lime juice drizzled on top; that said, they’re damned good at room temperature, too.

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