cumin roasted cauliflower + tahini + herbs

This is one of those flavour combinations that just works. I'm not a huge cauliflower fan but when it's charred under the grill and combined with big flavours like cumin and tahini, something special happens (in my opinion). Add some fresh herbs, and you've got a winner.

This recipe works well as a side dish alongside grilled meat, chicken or fish. You can serve it warm or cold. If you're vegetarian or vegan, it could be a good lunch option with some raw nuts and seeds tossed through for added nutrition. The tahini adds creaminess without any dairy and it's full of flavour. All good things.

I haven't given exact quantities in the recipe below, as it doesn't really matter. You just chop up as much cauliflower as you want and then dress with the other ingredients accordingly. If you're not familiar with tahini, it's a paste made from ground sesame seeds.  You can buy it at most supermarkets and at health food stores. I prefer hulled tahini (made from hulled sesame seeds) because unhulled tahini has a slightly more bitter flavour.

ingredients

• cauliflower
• ground cumin
• sea salt
• tahini
• fresh parsley 
• extra virgin olive oil (optional)

preparation

1. Preheat the grill in your oven to a high heat.

2. Chop the cauliflower into florets and lightly steam until just tender.*

3. Tip the cauliflower onto a large baking tray and sprinkle generously with cumin and a good pinch of sea salt (I use a couple of teaspoons of cumin and one teaspoon of fine sea salt for one large head of cauliflower). Toss well so that all the florets are nicely coated. Spread the florets out on the tray so that they form one layer.

4. Place the tray under the grill (making sure that the tray is on the rack closest to the grill element). Once the cauliflower florets are starting to char, take the tray out of the oven, flip the florets over and return to the oven to char the other side.

5. Once the florets are nicely charred, tip them into a bowl, toss in a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil (optional) and then drizzle over some tahini and top with chopped parsley to serve.

* You could skip steaming the cauliflower and just char it under the grill, but I prefer to steam it first as cauliflower is a goitrogenic vegetable that may interfere with thyroid function when eaten raw. Steaming or boiling goitrogenic vegetables apparently reduces the the goitrogens (and will also make the vegetables easier to digest).

middle eastern spiced cauli-rice

Have you tried cauliflower 'rice'? I know I'm a bit late to the party (it's been a long-time favourite in the paleo community), but it's so good! It's made by whizzing cauliflower in a food processor to break it up into little rice-like pieces. If you cook it up in some coconut oil and spices, it's delicious. And great for soaking up juices from curries or stews. 

It's is a nice low starch alternative to normal rice. It also provides more nutrients. I'm happy to eat normal rice when I feel like it, but I'm just as happy with this spiced cauli-rice. And who's going to complain about getting some more vegetables into their diet?

As a side note, I'm careful not to go too low carb with my eating. I make sure I get enough starchy carbs from vegetables like sweet potato, peas, carrots and butternut squash (particularly when I'm exercising a lot). I don't mind a bit of quinoa or oats on occasion either.

In the recipe below, I've given approximate measurements for the spices and salt. The amount will depend on the size of your cauliflower (some are small, others are enormous). I would recommend starting with the lower measurement and then tasting and adjusting accordingly.

Turning the cauliflower florets into 'rice'.

ingredients

• 1 head of cauliflower
• 1 tbsp raw virgin coconut oil
• �-1 tsp ground cinnamon
• �-1 tsp ground cumin
• 1-2 tsp fine Himalayan crystal salt or sea salt
• Fresh parsley or coriander to serve

preparation

1. Wash cauliflower and break it into florets. Throw the florets into a food processor and whiz until it resembles rice. You may have to do this in batches, depending on the size of your food processor. If you have one of those killer fancy food processors, you can probably get away with leaving the florets pretty large. I only have a little stab mixer, so I chop the florets into slices before whizzing and do it in a few batches (see photo above).

2. Heat the coconut oil in a large frypan over a medium-high heat. Once the oil is hot, add the spices and stir into the oil. Tip the cauliflower into the pan and move it around in the oil and spices until evenly coated. Season with the salt and stir again. I then leave it for about a minute, then come back and stir again, repeating this until the cauliflower has softened and lightly browned. Taste for seasoning (being careful not to burn your mouth) and add more salt or spices if needed.

3. Tip the cauliflower into a bowl and top with fresh herbs, such as parsley or coriander, to serve. It would also be nice with some chopped, toasted almonds stirred through for crunch. I store it covered in the fridge for a couple of days to add to my meals.