Pan-Roasted Cauliflower with Whole Spices

It’s a quick and easy cauliflower recipe for a busy weeknight meal. If you are looking for a meat-free meal, then this Pan-Roasted Cauliflower with whole spices is the best! It’s vegan and keto-friendly too.

Cauliflower is available throughout the year, but its peak season is fall. This is the best time to buy cauliflower, and you will find many varieties. In Doha, I have seen only the yellow and purple cauliflower, which is expensive, but you will find the creamy white ones widely available at a reasonable price.

When I think of cauliflower, I think of roasted and topped with cheese, cauliflower popcorn, cauliflower Manchurian, cauliflower soup, cauliflower fried rice, and the list goes on.
My family eats meat-free at least once a week, and cauliflower is a must on our menu. This Pan-roasted Cauliflower with whole Spices is one of our favorites. What is your favorite way to cook cauliflower?

Cauliflower is bland in taste when it is cooked without any other flavor. To enhance the flavor of cauliflower, you should pair cauliflower with curry powder, garlic, cheese, potatoes, chili flakes, and cumin.

Slightly pan-roasted with whole spices gives this dish a pop of flavor. This dish is slightly spicy, and the spiciness is balanced by the sweetness of the cauliflower. Although, you could leave the chili entirely if you prefer non-spicy.

This is a flexible recipe and can be changed according to your preferences. Below I have given some alternatives and suggestions on ingredients.

Let’s go through the ingredients for this recipe. 

Ingredients 

Cauliflower – When choosing a cauliflower head, make sure it is creamy white with green leaves and without bruises or brown spots. Cut each large floret into half, so it cooks quickly. Add the cut florets to a bowl with slightly salted water. This will remove any insects that are present. Wash them carefully and drain them with a colander. Next, place the washed cauliflower on a kitchen towel and lightly pat them dry. 

Spices – Adding whole spices at the beginning releases their flavor and gives a distinctive taste to the end product. As an alternative, ground spices can be added. The ground spices should be added just after the cauliflower is roasted.  

Replacing nigella seeds with fennel seeds works well too. 

The ground spices in this recipe are turmeric and red chili flakes. This dish is not very spicy, but if you desire, you can leave out the chili flakes. 

Onion & Tomato – This recipe calls for half a red onion and one small tomato chopped. There were times I have made it without onions and tomato, and it’s delicious either way. 

Ginger & Garlic –   Fresh ginger, garlic can be added as a paste, chopped finely or grated. Although this recipe calls for ginger garlic, you can use one of them, both, or leave it out entirely. It tastes good anyway. 

Oil-  I used sunflower oil for this recipe. Feel free to use coconut oil or olive oil.

Pan-Roasted Cauliflower with Whole Spices

Recipe by Ruwani Ravin KumarCourse: Main, Lunch, Dinner, SidesCuisine: vegan

Servings

4

servings

Prep time

30

minutes

Cooking time

40

minutes

Ingredients

• 1 head of cauliflower cut into florets

• 2 Tablespoons of sunflower oil

• 1/2 teaspoon black mustard seeds

• 1/2 teaspoon cumin seeds

• 1 teaspoon nigella seeds

• 4-5 fresh curry leaves

• 1/2 red onion chopped finely

• 2 garlic cloves grated

• 1/2 inch ginger grated

• 1/2 teaspoon turmeric powder

• 1 teaspoon red chili flakes

• 1 small tomato chopped finely

• 1 teaspoon salt + for washing the cauliflower

Directions

• Clean the cauliflower head by separating the florets. Cut each large floret into half, so it cooks quickly. Add the cut florets to a bowl with slightly salted water. This will remove any insects that are present. Wash them carefully and drain them with a colander. Next, place the washed cauliflower on a kitchen towel and lightly pat them dry.
• Place a large frying pan or a wok on medium-high heat and add 2 Tablespoons of oil into the pan.
• Next, add the black mustard seeds let it splatter. Follow by adding cumin seed and nigella seeds and fry for 5 seconds.
• Now add the onions, curry leaves and fry for 1 minute.
• Next, add the garlic, ginger and fry for few seconds. Keep stirring to avoid burning them.
• Follow by adding the cauliflower florets, turmeric and let it roast in the pan for about 10 minutes. Make sure you stir it regularly to prevent it from burning.
• Once you see a few golden brown roasted spots, add the red chili flakes, stir and cook it for a minute
• Lastly, add the chopped tomato, salt and stir well to combine. Cook for another 3 minutes. Take the pan off the heat.
• Serve it warm with some rice or bread.

Notes

• 
  Spices –Adding whole spices at the beginning releases their flavor and gives a distinctive taste to the end product. As an alternative, ground spices can be added. The ground spices should be added just after the cauliflower is roasted.  
  Replacing nigella seeds with fennel seeds works well too. 
  The ground spices in this recipe are turmeric and red chili flakes. This dish is not very spicy, but if you desire, you can leave out the chili flakes. 
  
  
  Onion & Tomato – This recipe calls for half a red onion and one small tomato chopped. There were times I have made it without onions and tomato, and it’s delicious either way. 
   
  Ginger & Garlic –   Fresh ginger, garlic can be added as a paste, chopped finely or grated. Although this recipe calls for ginger garlic, it’s optional. You can use one of them, both, or leave it out entirely. It tastes good anyway. 
  
  
  Oil-  I used sunflower oil for this recipe. Feel free to use coconut oil or olive oil.