INDIAN SPICED CAULI STEAK WITH COCONUT CORIANDER RELISH
SERVES 6–10
Love in the time of cauliflower! This brassica is playing a leading role in vegetable-led dishes because of its versatility and ‘meatiness’, especially when treated as a steak. Your vegetarian and vegan friends will love this one. The Coconut Coriander Relish is addictive. (In fact, it strikes me that this is also a great dish for dining alone; the spoil of having something so perfect all to yourself!)
• 4 tbsp olive oil
• 1 tsp ground cumin
• 1 tsp ground coriander
• 1 tsp turmeric powder
• 1 tsp curry powder
• 1 tsp mustard seeds • 1 tsp crushed garlic (or garlic flakes)
• ½ tsp salt
• ½ tsp white pepper
• ½ tsp vegetable stock powder • 1 tsp sugar
• 2 medium–large cauliflowers, cut into 1½cm- to 2cm-thick ‘steaks’ • tamarind raita to serve
FOR THE COCONUT CORIANDER RELISH
• 50g fresh coriander leaves (I like the stalks for this as well)
• 2 tsp toasted cumin seed
• 3 tbsp coconut cream
• 4 tbsp fresh coconut flakes or 4 tbsp desiccated coconut
• ½ green chilli
• 2 garlic cloves, finely grated
• 2 limes (or 2 tbsp lime juice), grated zest and juice
• salt to taste
• 2 tsp castor sugar
1. Blitz all the main ingredients together, without the cauliflower, in a food processor to make a spiced oil. 2. Prepare the Coconut
Coriander Relish by combining all the ingredients.
3. Place the cauliflower steaks onto a baking paper-lined baking tray, taking care to keep them together. Brush generously with the spiced oil and roast in the oven at 200°C for 15–20 minutes. You may need to turn the ‘steak’ over to give it colour on the other side too.
4. To serve, spread some tamarind raita* on a warmed serving platter and lay the steaks onto it. Spread big dollops of the relish over the cauliflower.
*To make the tamarind raita, toast ½ a teaspoon of cumin seeds and ½ a teaspoon of mustard seeds in a pan in 1 teaspoon of vegetable oil or ghee. Add 2 pinches of asafoetida (optional). Stir together 3 tablespoons of tamarind sauce or
tamarind chutney, 3 tablespoons of palm sugar, 2 tablespoons of finely diced red onion, 2 tablespoons of chopped coriander, 1 teaspoon of chilli powder, 1 teaspoon of ground cumin and the toasted seeds into 1 cup of full-cream yoghurt.