Seasonal local food recipe No 88: Cauliflower and chickpea curry
One of Angela Hartnett’s ‘midweek suppers’ from the Guardian. She says the secret is not to over-cook the cauliflower and add it to the curry mix while it is still warm so it absorbs all the flavours. Eat on its own, with steamed rice, or cheat and buy some naan bread.
Serves 4-6
Preparation and cooking: about 15 minutes
Ingredients
1 whole cauliflower
3 medium onions
4 cloves of garlic
½ tsp chopped fresh ginger
2 tsp ground coriander
2 star aniseed
½ tsp ground chilli
4 curry leaves
2 tsp garam masala
2 tsp ground cumin
1 tin of chopped tomatoes
1 tin of chickpeas, drained
2 tbsp chopped fresh coriander
Method
Remove the stalks from the cauliflower and cut into large florets. Add the cauliflower to a pan of boiling water and cook for five minutes. When ready, drain and then place back in the pan. Cover so it stays warm.
While the cauliflower is cooking, cut the onions into small pieces. Squash the garlic with the back of a knife to make it easier to peel. Chop until nice and fine.
In a pan,add a touch of butter, plus the onion, garlic and ginger, and saute until golden brown. In the same pan, add the dried spices and cook for a further five minutes. Add the tin of tomatoes and chickpeas and stir well. Then add the cooked cauliflower. Top up with 100ml of cold water and bring to a simmer for five to 10 minutes until the cauliflower is cooked.
Finish by adding the chopped coriander. Serve on a warm plate.
