Clotted Cream Masala Roasted Cauliflower

11 years ago to this day I was invited to a dinner party. I was new in Singapore and didn’t know any of the people who were going to participate. I got to the restaurant and literally chickened out at the door and decided to leave. At that moment, the host saw me and I had no choice but to join the table.

Little did I know that I was about to meet my soulmate that night and, in a crazy twist of events, we were going to be married 6 months (6 MONTHS!!!!) later.

Call us lame, but we still celebrate our anniversary of the day we met - 16 December 2009. This year we had other plans but…well, we all know how things went. So to celebrate I made this whole roasted cauliflower in a creamy clotted cream marinade, accompanied by a herby, delicious pulao rice.

Ingredients (for 4)

• 1 head cauliflower

• 1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil

• 1 tbsp ghee

• 1 large onion, grated

• 2 cloves garlic, grated

• 1 large piece ginger, grated

• 1/2 tsp cardamom powder

• 1 tsp black peppercorns

• 2 dried red chillies

• 1/3 tsp turmeric

• 1 heaped tbsp tomato concentrate

• 1 heaped tbsp clotted cream

• 1 tsp salt

• 1 tsp garam masala

• 3 tbsp confit garlic oil

Method

Steam the cauliflower, whole, for 8-10 minutes, then transfer to a baking tray lined with parchment paper. Preheat the oven to 220°C.

Dry roast black peppercorn and red chillies. Transfer to a blender along with grated onion, garlic and ginger, cardamom, turmeric and grind to a smooth paste.

Heat oil and ghee in a pan, then add the masala paste. Sauté on medium heat for 2 mins, then add salt, tomato concentrate and clotted cream. Continue to cook, adding approx 1/3 glass water if the paste thickens too much. Cook until the oil separates. Add garam masala and give it one last stir, then remove from heat.

Brush this paste all over the cauliflower, then bake for 20 mins. When the cauliflower is cooked through, turn on the grill to the highest temperature and allow the top to grill for 1-2 mins.

Pour the confit garlic oil on top just before serving. Enjoy!