Turmeric Cauliflower Grains

Turmeric Cauliflower Grains

This one is a proper weeknight hero for us. Golden, roasted cauliflower with that gorgeous turmeric crust, piled onto warm grains, it's the kind of bowl that looks like you've put in way more effort than you actually have. The cauliflower goes beautifully caramelised in the oven and the younger leaves get all crispy and delicious, which honestly might be our favourite bit. It's got those warm, earthy Indian-inspired flavours that just feel really satisfying without being heavy. If you've got 25 minutes and a cauliflower, make this tonight.

Cook: 25 min
Serves 6

Before You Start

  • Preheat oven to 200°C
  • Large baking tray
  • Large mixing bowl
  • Small mixing bowl
  • Pestle and mortar
  • Small frying pan

Ingredients

  • 2 heads of cauliflower
  • 2 tsp turmeric powder
  • 4 tbsp olive oil
  • salt and pepper to taste
  • 2 x 250g pouches of mixed pre-cooked grains
  • small bunch of fresh mint
  • small bunch of fresh parsley
  • 100g dried apricots
  • 1 lemon
  • 2 tsp coriander seeds
  • extra virgin olive oil
  • Salt & pepper
  • 3 tbsp tahini
  • 1 tbsp water
  • 1 small garlic clove
  • 1 lemon
  • salt
  • pomegranate seeds

Method

1

Prepare the cauliflower

  • Add the turmeric and olive oil to a large mixing bowl along with a generous pinch of salt and pepper
  • Trim the cauliflower and remove any old leaves. Toss some of the younger leaves into the turmeric oil bowl. Then chop the cauliflower into wedges and add them to the bowl. Toss in the turmeric oil then tip onto the baking tray and bake in the hot oven for 15 minutes
2

Prepare the grains

  • Heat the grains according to the packet instructions and tip into a mixing bowl
  • Roughly chop the herbs and apricots and add them to the bowl
  • Halve the lemon and squeeze the juice into the grain bowl
  • In a small frying pan over high heat, add the spices and toast for about 1 minute, until really fragrant. Transfer to a pestle and mortar and crush. Once crushed, add to the grains along with the olive oil
3

Prepare the tahini dressing

  • In a small bowl add the tahini, water, juice from half of the lemon and a pinch of salt, and mix until smooth and creamy. The quantity of water will massively depend on how thick your tahini is. Add more water so that the consistency is pourable. Taste and season to perfection
4

Serve

  • Arrange the salad onto a serving platter. Top with the roasted cauliflower, drizzle with the tahini and scatter with the pomegranate seeds

Tips & Variations

  • Use the whole cauliflower: We mean it, don't bin those inner leaves. They roast up crispy and are genuinely one of the best bits of this dish.
  • Boost the spice: If you like a bit of heat, add a pinch of cayenne or some chilli flakes to the turmeric oil before tossing the cauliflower. Really takes it up a notch.
  • Make it more filling: We love serving this with a big dollop of dairy-free yoghurt on top and a handful of toasted flaked almonds for crunch. Makes it feel really special.

Why This Works

The trick here is not throwing away those inner cauliflower leaves. Tossed in turmeric oil and roasted alongside the wedges, they go crispy and almost nutty, and they add so much texture to the finished bowl. The turmeric does double duty too, giving everything that deep golden colour while bringing a gentle warmth that ties the whole dish together.