Name: Whole roasted cauliflower with rendang sauce
Prep time: 25 min
Cook time: 90 min
Total time: 115 min
Yield: 4
Ingredients: 80 ml (⅓ cup) grapeseed oil; 1 cinnamon stick; 2 star anise; 6 cardamom pods, bruised; 4 cloves; 30 gm toasted desiccated coconut; 800 ml organic coconut milk (see note); 1 whole cauliflower (about 1.1 kg); 300 gm jasmine rice, rinsed; 3 makrut lime leaves; 2 Lebanese cucumbers, thinly sliced; 2 golden shallots, thinly sliced; Roasted cashews, toasted coconut flakes, thinly sliced long red chillies, coriander sprigs and lime wedges, to serve; Rendang curry paste; 30 gm ginger, chopped; 30 gm galangal, chopped; 30 gm turmeric, chopped; 6 long red chillies (about 25gm each), chopped; 4 red shallots, chopped; 5 garlic cloves, chopped; 2 lemongrass stalks, white part only, finely chopped; 4 makrut lime leaves, central vein removed; 100 ml grapeseed oil

The fragrant flavours of rendang form the sauce for this impressive whole roasted cauliflower recipe. All the work is in the rich curry, and then you let the oven do the rest. We’ve served this whole roasted cauliflower dish with a mix of fresh and raw accoutrements to balance the rich and heady rendang.

Ingredients

80 ml (⅓ cup) grapeseed oil

1 cinnamon stick

2 star anise

6 cardamom pods, bruised

4 cloves

30 gm toasted desiccated coconut

800 ml organic coconut milk (see note)

1 whole cauliflower (about 1.1 kg)

300 gm jasmine rice, rinsed

3 makrut lime leaves

2 Lebanese cucumbers, thinly sliced

2 golden shallots, thinly sliced

Roasted cashews, toasted coconut flakes, thinly sliced long red chillies, coriander sprigs and lime wedges, to serve

Rendang curry paste

30 gm ginger, chopped

30 gm galangal, chopped

30 gm turmeric, chopped

6 long red chillies (about 25gm each), chopped

4 red shallots, chopped

5 garlic cloves, chopped

2 lemongrass stalks, white part only, finely chopped

4 makrut lime leaves, central vein removed

100 ml grapeseed oil

Method

For curry paste, combine all ingredients and 2 tsp fine sea salt in a food processor and process until smooth. Curry paste can be refrigerated for 1 week.

Preheat oven to 200°C fan-forced. Heat 60ml oil in a large wide casserole over medium-high heat. Add curry paste and spices; stir-fry until fragrant and colour deepens (3-4 minutes). Add desiccated coconut and stir-fry until fragrant (30 seconds). Add coconut milk and 250ml water; bring to the boil. Carefully place whole cauliflower in centre of casserole, drizzle cauliflower with remaining oil and season. Cover with a tight-fitting lid or two layers of foil and roast until whole cauliflower is tender (1 hour). Remove lid or foil and roast until cauliflower is charred and curry sauce cracks and thickens slightly (30-35 minutes).

Meanwhile, combine rice, lime leaves and 450ml water in saucepan; bring to the boil. Cover with a tight-fitting lid, reduce heat to low and cook until water is absorbed (10-12 minutes). Remove from heat and stand for 5 minutes, then fluff with a fork (discard lime leaves).

Spoon rendang sauce in a serving bowl and place whole roasted cauliflower on top. Serve with lime leaf rice, cucumber, shallots, roasted cashews, toasted coconut, sliced chilli, coriander and lime wedges on the side.

To achieve a cracked curry sauce, we recommend organic coconut milk free from gums or thickeners.
Note

Maxwell Adey Senior Food Editor & Stylist

Maxwell has always been passionate about food. Born into a restaurateur and award-winning produce farming family, he was strongly steered into pursuing a career in advertising after completing his Bachelor of Public Communication at University of Technology, Sydney. After a very short stint, he decided to enrol in Commercial Cookery at TAFE to follow his true passion. Maxwell started out working in some of Sydney’s finest restaurants (Est., Claude’s and Moon Park) which helped further his love of all things culinary and developed his technical ability to cook. Later, he was lured into the magical world of food publishing where he freelanced for ten years for notable Australian commercial and editorial brands. He has also run his own business where he sells his marinated olives, dressings and sauces at food markets and select retailers. He excitingly joins the Gourmet Traveller team to bring his technical and creative expertise in food to the brand.

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Ingredients

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