Spiced Baked Cauliflower with Puffed Quinoa

If you’re looking for something a little different to add to the menu, this is an enjoyable recipe that can be used as either a main or side dish…. inspired by a recipe from the Gourmet Traveller Magazine.

Ingredients:

1 cauliflower, trimmed and broken into florets

1 tablespoon of olive oil

80 grams of flaked almonds

90 grams puffed quinoa

2 cups of coriander (loosely chopped)

1 cup of flat-leaf parsley (loosely chopped)

1/2 cup of dill (loosely chopped)

1 teaspoon toasted nigella seeds

Lime halves to serve (optional)

Spice Mixture

1 teaspoon fennel seeds

1 teaspoon coriander seeds

1 teaspoon cumin seeds

1/2 teaspoon black peppercorns

4 cloves

1 tablespoon ground turmeric

Yoghurt dressing

180 grams natural yoghurt of your choice (use coconut or soy yoghurt for a vegan meal)

1 garlic clove (crushed)

Finely grated rind of 1/2 lime plus juice to taste

Method:

1. Preheat your oven to 150C. Pour your almonds evenly onto a baking tray and roast until golden brown (about 5 – 6 minutes). Set aside to cool.
2. Turn the oven up to 250c in preparation.
3. Dry roast the whole spices in a small fry pan over high heat until fragrant. Cool and grind in a pestle and mortar or spice grinder. Add the ground turmeric and combine well.
4. Place the uncooked cauliflower in a bowl and add the oil and spice mixture tossing to coat well (wear gloves here as the turmeric stains). You may like to use a splash more olive oil to coat the cauliflower well.
5. Scatter the spiced cauliflower in an oven dish and bake until golden and tender, with a little charing starting to appear at the edges (takes around 15-20 minutes).
6. Now dry roast the puffed quinoa in a fry pan over medium heat until crispy (takes about 3-5 minutes).
7. For the yoghurt dressing, combine all the ingredients in a bowl and mix well.
8. To serve, spoon the yoghurt dressing onto a plate, top with cauliflower, scatter with toasted almonds, puffed quinoa, herbs and nigella seeds. Then season with lime to taste. Enjoy!

Gluten Free | Vegetarian