Cauliflower Coconut Rice
A deliciously colourful dish from my book Saffron Soul – grated cauliflower stir-fried like vagharela bhaat or poha. If you’re making cauli rice alone, then possibly adding a handful of soaked poha or quinoa to make it more filling and give it a bite!
1 small cauliflower, grated
2 tbsp oil
1 tsp mustard seeds
1 tsp cumin seeds
½ onion, finely chopped
1 inch piece ginger, grated
2 green chillies, cut in long slits or you can chop
handful curry leaves
¼ tsp turmeric powder
1 small bowl peas, boiled
3 tbsp desiccated or grated coconut
1 tsp salt
Handful peanuts, 3-4 tbsp, stir fried in a little oil and salt
Imli chutney to drizzle
You can also make a sweet chilli yoghurt if you don’t have imli - or can make both:
Small bowl yoghurt
2 tsp sugar
1 tsp salt
½ tsp red chilli powder
1. You can start by stir frying the peanuts in a little oil with salt so they become crunchy by the time you add them later (peanuts are an optional addition)
2. Grate the cauliflower so it looks like long rice grains. Fry the mustard seeds and cumin seeds in oil on a low to medium heat
3. Once they start popping, add the onions and stir until they start to become a little brown, then add green chillies, curry leaves and turmeric
4. Now add the grated cauliflower, stir together and add the rest of the ingredients
5. Taste and make any adjustments, then let this cook for 10-15 minutes on low to medium heat with the lid on
6. Once the cauliflower is cooked and soft, stir in the peanuts, pour into serving bowl, drizzle imli and/ or sweet chilli yoghurt chutney and garnish with coriander leaves
Mira Manek