A cauliflower as we had never seen or eaten it before: roasted whole in the oven. We discovered this crazy dish at the Middle Eastern restaurant Mana Mana in Amsterdam where they have the slogan ‘in Cauliflower we trust’. There, this dish is listed on the menu as Psychedelic Cauliflower. Oi oi oi, what a feast on the plate. And how often we recreated it at home afterwards. And it works so well every time. Take a look!
Have you ever cooked a whole cauliflower?
Cauliflower florets from the oven, as crispy nuggets, mashed in a stew or in a tasty Thai curry: you have probably eaten that delectable cauliflower with its mild flavour in numerous ways in your life. When you think of a cauliflower, your first thought is of a white cauliflower, which you then slice into pieces, and with those florets you go about your business. But how often have you come across a whole cauliflower on your plate? A whole cauliflower like this is delicious - how, I'll share with you in a moment, but it also immediately dresses up the table in a festive way. And that's why I think this is also a perfect dish for when you get diners or when you're tasked with making something for a drinks table. Add some flatbread and hummus and you're done!
Instagram-worthy cauliflower recipe: whole cauliflower from the oven!
Ask anyone what a cauliflower looks like and everyone will answer ‘white’. But that's not quite right, then. There are also purple, green and even orange cauliflowers. Under the influence of light, the colour of the cauliflower can change. What is that exactly? The colour in some cauliflowers is due to anthocyanin, a natural pigment. This pigment provides the purple, blue and red colours in many plants, fruits and vegetables. In the case of purple cauliflower, anthocyanin accumulates in the cells of the cauliflower, et voilà, there you have the purple glow! So nature and light play together to give us that colourful and tasty variety!
Whatever colour cauliflower you choose: this whole roasted cauliflower always tastes blissful and looks gorgeous. Also delicious with it is homemade flatbread.
Cauliflower sustainable choice
Although cauliflower is originally from the Mediterranean, it also thrives in Dutch trees. Between May and November you can find cauliflower from Dutch soil, which makes it a great seasonal vegetable. Also one that children often love. Did you know that cauliflower is related to broccoli, cabbage and Brussels sprouts?
Recipe: whole roasted cauliflower
Kitchenware
- large pan
- roasting pan(I am a fan of a roasting pan with grid. Don't have this? A baking dish with aluminium foil also works).
- bowl(for sauce)
- colander
Ingredients
- 1 whole cauliflower (An organic purple cauliflower is extra nice for wow effect and also has mild flavour).
- 400 gr soy yoghurt or Greek yoghurt
- 2 el cumin
- 1 fluorescent curry powder
- 1 fluorescent gochugaru (Korean chilli powder, on sale in toko) (Alternative: plain chilli powder or paprika).
- 3 toes garlic
- 1 lemon
- 3 sprigs fresh mint
- optional pomegranate seeds
- optional piece of grapefruit
Instructions
Prepare
- Cut the leaves off the cauliflower.
- Cut the bottom of cauliflower (carrot) straight off so that the whole cauliflower can stand neatly upright on a plate.
- Take a large pan with a lid and fill it about halfway with water. Bring the water to the boil. Once the water is boiling, place the cauliflower upright in the pan. The cauliflower should be half under water (i.e. not completely). Then cook/steam cauliflower with the lid closed for ten minutes.
- Meanwhile, make a sauce from the yoghurt, herbs and some juice and grate of the lemon.
- Remove the cauliflower from the pan and let it drain and dry completely in a colander (at least 10 minutes). The cauliflower should be as dry as possible in the oven.
Finish
- Coat the cooled cauliflower thickly with the sauce.
- Put it in the oven at 200°C for 45 minutes.
- Serve with extra sauce, mint leaves and any extra garnishes such as lemon zest, pomegranate and grapefruit. Sprinkle some extra Korean chilli powder on top of the cauliflower.
Notes
More tasty vegan recipes from thegreenlist.nl
- Delicious vegan recipe: spicy tofu!
- Favourite recipe: rendang according to traditional family recipe, but vegan.
- Also tasty: Celeriac lasagne with a vegan bolo sauce.
- Curious about the restaurant? This is Mana Mana.
Photo credits: thegreenlist.nl.
