I love the deep spicy flavors in Indian food, and for many years I was fortunate to have colleagues from India who would generously invite me to their annual Diwali celebration which is the Hindu festival of lights. One of my favorite Indian delicacies they served was samosas which is a pocket of fried dough filled with a savory mixture of spiced potatoes, onions, peas, or lentils.
Cauliflower is a very mild vegetable and is most often seen on veggie trays because it has a great crunch and holds up well with thick dips. Roasting cauliflower brings out a sweet, nutty flavor that’s quite unexpected the first time you try it. The preparation in this recipe by keeping the cauliflower head whole creates wonderful little pockets for the spicy green curry sauce to seep into while it bakes. And look at the beautiful caramelization on the outer crust!
This side dish is super fast to prepare once you have the ingredient prep work done and pairs perfectly with any protein whether it’s grilled fish, braised pork chops, seared steak or roasted chicken. The chile peppers, fresh ginger, and curry powder give the rice a nice low heat, the touch of sesame oil adds a subtle nutty flavor, and the cilantro and lime juice add a bright pop of freshness.
The second great thing about this recipe is any leftovers you have quickly become a vamped up version of the dish, adding the chopped protein into the rice!