I never used to be bothered about cauliflower. It always seemed to me to be a bit bland and boring (maybe because of its colour) and we didn’t have lots of it growing up apart from cauliflower cheese which I hate, so I’d never really warmed to it until fairly recently. When Mr H and I visited India a couple of years ago we wanted to eat as authentically as possible which meant that our diet consisted mainly of the most amazing vegetable curries for breakfast, lunch and dinner, served with freshly baked breads or rice. Cauliflower seemed to feature heavily in a lot of the dishes we tried (and loved) and I can totally see why; it’s like a blank canvas and works so well with all different kinds of spices. Our friends in India have definitely worked out how to get the most out of their cauliflowers, that’s for sure.

And don’t even get me started on how incredible it is when it’s been roasted. I mean sure it’s nice in a sauce and all that but my absolute favourite way of eating it is when it’s been baked in the oven and it’s all tender on the inside but crispy and lightly charred on the outside. Now whilst I don’t have a tandoor (the clay ovens used in India) I’ve got my trusty oven, a cauliflower and some delicious tandoori spices, so I’ve been in cauliflower heaven recently and this dish is most certainly up there with my fave cauli dishes. It’s so full of flavour and feels really nourishing too as it’s full of delicious veggies and detoxifying spices – just what our bodies need!

Serves 2

Ingredients

• 1 head of cauliflower
• 1 onion
• 2 cups spinach
• 1/2 cup frozen garden peas
• 1 tbsp tandoori spice
• 1/2 cup coconut yogurt
• Juice of half a lemon
• 2 garlic cloves
• 1 tbsp olive oil

To make the tandoori marinade, first crush one of the garlic cloves and in a small bowl mix it with the lemon juice, tandoori spice and coconut yogurt. Cut the cauliflower into florets and place in a bowl, then pour in the marinade and use your hands to make sure the cauliflower is all completely covered. If you have time, leave it to marinate for half an hour as this will enrich those lovely tandoori flavours. Preheat the oven to 200C and pop the cauliflower florets on a lined baking tray and roast for about 40 minutes until the florets are crispy on the outside but tender inside.

While the cauliflower is cooking, chop the onion and the second garlic clove finely and add them to a frying pan with the olive oil. Sauté on a medium heat for about 5 minutes, until they go soft, then add in the spinach and peas. Keep stirring for a few minutes until the spinach has completely wilted, then add in the cauliflower florets and stir for another couple of minutes. Serve with a side of brown rice or quinoa and some coconut yogurt – heaven on a plate!

Love, Mrs H xx