Whole cauliflower curry

Ingredients

• 1 cauliflower
• 1 onion
• 4 cloves of garlic
• 1 thumb-sized piece of fresh root ginger
• 400ml tin of coconut milk
• 2 tbsp curry powder
• 2 tbsp peanut butter
• 1 stick of lemongrass (optional)
• Juice of 1 lemon or lime
• A pinch of caster sugar
• 400g tin of chickpeas
• Fresh coriander leaves, to garnish
• Boiled basmati rice, to serve
• Lime juice, to serve

Method

Break your cauliflower into florets, cut the stem into rough small shapes and shred the leaves.

To start your sauce, wazz your chopped onion, garlic and ginger in a blender. Heat a little oil in a deep pan on a medium heat, then add the onion paste and gently fry for 2-3 minutes, until the rawness has cooked out.

Stir in the coconut milk, curry powder and peanut butter. Bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer. Add your lemongrass if you’re using it. Now taste. It will taste rank – watery, bitter and naff. But that’s cool! I want you to taste the change. Add a pinch of salt – taste. Stir in half the lemon juice – taste. Add a pinch of sugar – taste. Things are happening! Slowly tweak the balance by adding a touch more salt, more lemon and/or more sugar. You will taste the change and like me again!

Now that the sauce is banging, add the drained and rinsed chickpeas and the cauliflower florets and stem. Simmer for 6-8 mins, until the cauliflower is tender.

Heat a splash of oil in a separate frying pan on a high heat. Add the leaves that you shredded and sauté for 1-2 mins, until they are just starting to wilt.

Now all you need to do is cook yourself some rice, then remove the lemongrass, load your curry and the sautéed leaves into a bowl and top it with everyone’s favourite, coriander! Finish with a squeeze of lime.

Image: James North

Recipe from Eat the Food You Buy by Martyn Odell (Penguin Life)