Healthy comfort food. Is it an oxymoron? It’s January, and that means two things: we try to eat healthier, and it’s also cold AF so all we want is comfort food. It’s like, we’ll have a great, clean start to the week and then boom! Snow day! Snow days mean brownies. Or nachos. Or pasta. Take your pick, but snow days definitely don’t mean salads. But there’s hope, my friends. This Coconut Cauliflower Curry is here to give you all those warm and cozy vibes without throwing you so far off the healthy wagon that you can’t even see the road.
I’m actually pretty obsessed with this dish. Not only does it have a rich, aromatic sauce for the tender, roasted cauliflower, but it’s on a bed of my favorite rice in the whole entire world – coconut rice. Let’s get into the deets.
What is curry, anyway?
Let me first dispel a myth – the term curry doesn’t actually refer to one particular spice that turns everything yellow and smells like B.O. I feel like so many of us have been turned off simply by this misconception. Curry is actually the term used to describe a variety of sauces in South Asian cuisine that contain a combination of spices.
When you buy curry powder or curry paste, you’re actually buying a combination of spices. Curries range in flavor and heat level too. So, don’t knock it till you try it!
What’s in this Coconut Cauliflower Curry
Our curry is made of a combination of spices: turmeric, coriander, garam masala and – naturally – curry powder. Together, they make a super aromatic dry spice blend that we will sprinkle onto the cauliflower before roasting. Then, we’ll roast it until it’s super tender.
Once the cauliflower is cooked, we will toss it in the pan sauce. For this, we’ll saute garlic and ginger with a small amount of serrano pepper for some heat. If you can’t find a serrano pepper, a jalapeño pepper is a good substitute. And if you want a more mild curry, just leave out the pepper.
The sauce gets its creaminess from a little Greek yogurt. Even the nonfat version will yield a rich, satisfying sauce.
Don’t skip the Coconut Rice
Could you serve this Coconut Cauliflower Curry over a bed of plain old rice? You could. Would it still be a delicious meal? It would. But. Do yourself a favor, and really do me a favor too, because I really want you to have it all! Make the coconut rice.
Ever since I made it last summer I’ve been hooked. It’s as easy as making a regular pot of rice, except instead of plain water, you’re cooking the rice in a combination of broth and coconut milk. The result is a fluffy, slightly sticky, faintly sweet base that complements this curry in the most delicious way.
No good curry is complete without soft, garlicky naan bread to soak up the extra sauce. So, if you’re inclined, here’s my recipe. You won’t regret it.
I’d love to hear what you think of this vegetarian feast of the senses! Leave a comment or drop a rating below. Enjoy!
Coconut Cauliflower Curry
Ingredients
The Curry
- 1 head cauliflower
- 1 yellow onion diced
- 1 1/2 cups Greek yogurt
- 4 Tbsp. extra virgin olive oil divided
- 1/4 cup fresh ginger minced
- 2 Tbsp. garlic minced
- 1 Tbsp. serrano pepper sliced
- 2 Tbsp. curry powder
- 1/2 tsp. turmeric
- 1/2 tsp. coriander
- 1 Tbsp. garam masala
- 1/2 tsp. salt
- 1/4 cup water
The Coconut Rice
- 2 cups Jasmine or basmati rice
- 2 cups coconut milk
- 3 cups vegetable broth
- 4 tsp. sugar
- 2 tsp. kosher salt
Instructions
- Preheat oven 425 degrees. Cut the cauliflower into bite-sized florets. Arrange on a large baking sheet.
- In a small bowl, combine the turmeric, coriander, garam masala and curry powder. Sprinkle evenly over the cauliflower. Drizzle with 2 Tbsp. of olive oil. Then, toss the cauliflower so that it is coated in the oil and spice blend. Roast for 20-25 minutes.
- Heat the remaining 2 Tbsp. of olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Saute the onions, garlic and ginger until softened, about 5 minutes. Lower the heat, stir in the yogurt and water and simmer until smooth. Stir in the cauliflower and gently toss to coat.
- Make the coconut rice: Bring coconut milk, broth, sugar and salt to a boil in a saucepan. Stir in the rice. Lower the heat and simmer, covered, 15 minutes. Fluff with a fork.
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