Gnarly cauliflower curry | Jamie Oliver recipes (2024)

DifficultyNot too tricky

1. Preheat the grill to high.
2. Trim 1 medium cauliflower (1kg), keeping aside any leaves, then halve through the core. Slice each half into 3 chunky slices, then place into a large ovenproof pan (30cm), ideally in one layer.
3. Rub 2 heaped tablespoons of rogan josh paste over the cauliflower, then season with sea salt and black pepper. Tear the cauliflower leaves into the pan, then place over a medium heat on the hob. Pour in 500ml of water, so it’s just level with the cauliflower.
4. Peel 1 red onion, cut into quarters and break apart into petals, then peel and finely slice 2 cloves of garlic, and place on top of the cauliflower. Bring to the boil, then leave to bubble away for 10 minutes.
5. Transfer the pan to under the grill, roughly 5cm from the heat, for 10 to 15 minutes, or until gnarly, charred and cooked through, turning halfway.
6. Meanwhile, cook 150g of basmati rice in a pan of boiling salted water according to the packet instruction with ½ a lemon thrown in, then drain.
7. Remove the pips and any pith from the cooked lemon, then very finely chop the flesh and rind. Pick the coriander leaves from 1 sprig and scatter over with a few pickled chillies (if using) and a splash of the pickling liquor, and finely chop and mix together. Drizzle with 1 tablespoon of extra virgin olive oil, then put aside until needed.
8. Remove the cauliflower pan from under the grill, place over a medium heat, then pour in ½ x 400g tin of light coconut milk and bring to the boil, stirring gently to combine – try not to break up the cauliflower slices.
9. One-by-one, puff up the 4 uncooked poppadoms in the microwave for 30 seconds to 1 minute each.
10. Pick the remaining leaves from the ½ bunch of fresh coriander (15g) and put aside, adding the stalks to a pestle and mortar with a pinch each of salt and chilli flakes. Bash to a paste, then muddle in 2 heaped tablespoons of natural yoghurt.
11. Sprinkle the coriander leaves over the curry, squeeze the juice of ½ a lemon into the rice, then serve with the poppadoms, coriander yoghurt and lemon pickle. Cut the remaining lemon into wedges for squeezing over, then tuck in.

Tips

INGREDIENT HACK
To make your own pickled chillies, finely slice 6 fresh chillies (I like to use a mixture of green and red) and place into a clean, sterilised jam jar. Season generously with sea salt and black pepper, add 2 tablespoons of caster sugar, then cover with cider vinegar. Secure the lid, give the jar a good shake and leave to pickle, ideally overnight. Store any leftovers in the fridge for jazzing up other dishes in the weeks that follow.

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