I usually use this sauce for a Goan fish curry but after the meat-filled excesses of Christmas we were craving something different. So I adapted it to use a slightly frostbitten cauli I had sitting shivering in the fridge for a warming, flavour-packed but vegetarian supper. It would also work well with chunks of roasted pumpkin.
The touch of tamarind really lifts the creaminess of this curry and roasting the cauliflower first gives it a nice toasty nuttiness. You can add extra toasted nuts as a garnish: unsalted cashews are good, tossed in a little hot oil until golden.
Vegans can omit the butter and add a little more oil. And for those who’d prefer to make the curry with fish, just marinate 800g-1kg of any firm fish, cut into pieces, and/or raw, shelled prawns in the juice of half a lime with a pinch of turmeric and another of salt for 30 minutes, then drain and add to the cooked sauce, simmering very gently until the fish turns opaque and the prawns pink – a matter of minutes. Serve immediately.
You can make the sauce ahead of time and keep it in the fridge for up to 24 hours before adding the main ingredients just before you eat.
Goan Cauliflower Curry
Ingredients:
1 large-ish cauliflower, plus oil for roasting
1 good knob of butter and a dash of oil
2 medium onions, peeled and finely chopped
1 medium-hot chilli, de-seeded and finely chopped
1 thumb of fresh ginger, peeled and grated
3 fat cloves of garlic, peeled and finely chopped
1 tspn Kashmiri chilli powder or other mild-to-medium chilli powder
1/2 tspn ground turmeric
1 tspn ground cumin
2 tspn ground coriander
1 tin tomatoes, drained and chopped
1 tin coconut milk
A scant 1/2 tspn tamarind concentrate
Salt and pepper
Fresh coriander to garnish
Toasted cashew nuts, optional, to garnish
Method:
Preheat oven to 180C/350F/Gas Mark 4.
Break the cauliflower into bite-sized florets, drizzle with oil and roast in a baking tray for around 20 minutes, until it’s tender and tinged with brown. Remove from the oven and set aside.
Heat the butter and oil in a deep, heavy pan and sweat the chopped onions very gently for about 20 minutes with a lid on, stirring often, until soft and golden brown.
Add the garlic, ginger and chilli and the spices and cook for another couple of minutes. Now add the tomatoes, stir through the tamarind and simmer for a few minutes more.
Pour in the coconut milk and simmer until the mixture thickens, around 10-15 minutes, stirring to stop it catching. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
Add the roasted cauliflower and heat through. Garnish with fresh coriander and the toasted cashew nuts, if using.
I love it when friends come up with the resolutely delicious food to set oneself, however temporarily, on the track to a mildly leaner new year. Sounds great. Thanks. Ken
Thank you – mind you, with all that coconut milk and the cashew nuts I’m not sure it’s terribly slimming. Tasty though. Happy New Year! Lx
Nice, I do love tamarind in a curry, gives it quite a unique tang. Now – you have to tell me your secret to taking good directly overhead plate photos – it’s my NY resolution to suss it!
Um, well, I did have a lesson from a friend in three-point lighting recently, but have to fess up and say I just stuck that one under a table lamp!
That looks delicious. I don’t cook with cauliflower enough! Agree with previous comment – great photo! Am v jealous!!
Thank you on both counts! My photography is usually pretty ropey, so that’s nice to hear. L x
There’s something very comforting about cauliflower in a curry. Just perfect for a January evening. I must buy some more tamarind.
Thanks Phil. It works without the tamarind, too, but it does just add that sharp edge that lifts the flavour.
Brilliant!
Thank you. I think it’s a good combo, especially with the added nuts.
Sounds yummmmy
Thank you! Glad you like the look of it.
Lovely. I got some tamarind from my brother in Dar es Salaam. Delicious.
Such a great ingredient, isn’t it? Very versatile.
Just absolutely gorgeous and easy peasy for a home made curry – thank you.
Don’t like the smell of tamarind and don’t keep it in stock so substituted mango powder or amchoor powder and it resolved that soapiness the coconut milk can leave. Lovely.
Can’t wait to try out the fish version. Thank you, thank you, thank you 🙂
Thanks, Jovie, I’m so happy you enjoyed it! Amchoor is a good idea. It’s all about making a recipe your own. Lx