We’ve been looking for recipes that use fresh turmeric but you can also use ground turmeric for this dish. This cauliflower curry is really nice and also uses the cauliflower leaves, genius! Serve with rice.
Wine Suggestion: This dish cries out for a white from warmer or sunnier climates where there are hints of tropical fruits in the flavours. Tonight’s choice was the superlative Kilikanoon Pierce Road Semillon; an oak aged semillon from the Clare Valley. Rich and layered with buttery, toasty hints of the barrel fermentation carried through with a wonderful, lemony, citrus backbone of acidity. Youthful but poised and balanced.
Cauliflower and yellow split pea curry – serves 4
- 1 large cauliflower, with leaves, cut the cauliflower into bite-sized pieces and the cut the leaves across the spine into 1cm-thick strips
- 2 tbsp vegetable oil
- 180g yellow split peas, rinsed
- 1 x 400ml tin coconut milk
FOR THE CURRY BASE:
- 6 cardamom pods, crushed
- 2 cinnamon sticks
- 1 tsp cumin seeds
- 1 tsp coriander seeds
- 1 tsp mustard seeds
- 2 tbsp vegetable oil
- 1 onion, finely diced
- 3 cloves of garlic, finely grated
- 4cm piece of ginger, peeled and finely grated
- 4cm piece of fresh turmeric, peeled and finely grated (or you can use 1 tbsp ground turmeric)
- 1 green chilli, finely diced
- 2 bay leaves
- a bunch of coriander, chop the stalks finely and the leaves roughly
Preheat the oven to 220C/200C/gas 7.
Toss the cauliflower pieces in the vegetable oil and season generously with salt. Place in a roasting tray and roast for 30-35 minutes or until deep golden. Toss them halfway through.
Meanwhile, put the crushed cardamom pods, cinnamon sticks, cumin, coriander and mustard seeds in a medium saucepan. Put over a medium heat and toast until fragrant. Add the vegetable oil, then the rest of curry base ingredients, including the coriander stalks but not the leaves. Season well with salt and cook for 5 minutes.
Add the split peas and 700ml warm water. Stir, then cover and simmer over a low heat for 40 minutes, stirring often and adding a little more water if needed. Add the coconut milk and cook for another 5 minutes.
Add the cauliflower and the cauliflower leaves, then cover and cook for a few minutes until the leaves have wilted. Remove from the heat and garnish with the chopped coriander.
Serve with rice and anything else you like with you curry.
(Original recipe from Marcus Everyday by Marcus Wareing, HarperCollinsPublishers, 2019.)
Jono & Jules do food & wine 