Cauliflower with Tahini
“Cauliflower is such a great ingredient. It’s budget-friendly and pairs well with bold flavours, as in this Middle Eastern inspired dish.”
This recipe was created by Vegan Chef Day.
Prep time - 15 minutes
Cook time - 30 minutes
Difficulty - Medium
Serves / makes - 2 portions
Ingredients
100g brown rice
100g green lentils
500g cauliflower florets, cut into bitesize pieces
1T zataar spice mix
2T extra virgin olive oil
Salt, to taste
4 small red onions, sliced in half lengthwise, with skins still on
300g red onions, finely sliced
Boiling hot water
50ml sherry vinegar
50ml apple cider vinegar
1t beetroot powder (optional)
50g sunflower seeds
1t light tahini
1T extra virgin olive oil
1t apple cider vinegar
1T soya cream
Tabasco, to taste (optional)
20g coriander leaf, roughly chopped
A little pomegranate molasses (optional)
Equipment
Saucepan with lid
Large mixing bowl
Mixing spoon
Wide baking tray
Clean tea towel
Bowl
Sieve
Frying pan
Small jug or bowl
Fork
Method
Heat your oven to 200c/390f/GM6.
Whilst the oven is warming up prepare the rice and lentils. Put them into a saucepan, add water to cover the rice and lentils plus 2cm more water. Put the lid on the pan. Bring it to the boil on a high heat then lower to a medium heat.
Put the cauliflower into a large bowl. Add the zataar, oil and salt, to taste. Mix well. Put the cauliflower onto a wide baking tray with the 4 small red onions, cut tin half. Bake for 15-20 minutes until the cauliflower is just cooked.
Put the finely sliced red onions into a bowl, cover them with boiling hot water and rest for a few minutes. This softens the onions. Drain them in a sieve, rinse them under a cold tap. Put them back into the bowl with the 2 vinegars and beetroot powder (if using). Allow the pickled red onions to soak until you are ready to serve.
Heat a dry frying pan on a medium heat, add the seeds and toast until they are fragrant and browned.
Once the rice and lentils are cooked and nearly all of the water has evaporated remove the pan from the heat. Remove the lid, place a tea towel on top of the pan, then replace the lid. Leave the rice for another 5 minutes. This will make the rice more fluffy.
To make the sauce mix the tahini, oil, vinegar and cream, in a small bowl or jug, with a fork. Add tabasco, to taste, if you are using it.
Add the seeds and salt to the rice and lentils. Pile this onto 2 plates. Add the coriander leaf, then the cauilflower. Remove the baked onions from their skins and place them on the plates with the tahini sauce, pickled onions and pomegranate molasses (if using).
Serve immediately.