‘Addictive’ Cauli with Chickpeas
From Stonesoup
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Inspired by the clever boys at Porteno where my Irishman and I had our wedding feast!
If I can’t convince you to try deep frying your cauliflower, there’s no need to miss out on this dish! You can easily roast the cauli instead (about 1/2 hour at 180C / 350F). Just remember to be generous with the oil!
enough for: 2
takes: 20 minutes
oil for deep frying (I use rice bran oil)
1/2 cauliflower, chopped into bite sized pieces
1 can chickpeas (400g / 14oz), drained
1 teaspoon cumin seeds
1 bag baby spinach
2 tablespoons lemon juice
1. Heat the oil in a large frying pan on a high heat.
2. While the oil is heating, warm a little more oil in another frying pan and add chickpeas and cumin. You just want to warm them through.
3. When the deep frying oil reaches 180C (350F), fry cauli in batches for 3-4 minutes or until deeply golden. Drain on paper towel.
4. Add spinach to the chickpeas and allow to wilt slightly.
5. Serve spinach and chickpeas with fried cauli on top, lemon juice drizzled over and lots of salt and pepper.
Variations
carnivore – serve with super finely sliced prosciutto on top or cooked chicken, chorizo or bacon.
paleo / chickpea-free – just skip the chickpeas or replace them with roasted almonds or cashews. You could also replace the chickpeas with with cooked chicken.
more substantial – serve with crusty bread and butter or pita bread or other flat bread and extra virgin olive oil. Or serve as a side dish to roast chicken or pan fried chicken breasts. Also a great side with lamb cutlets.
no frying – toss cauli in a little oil and roast for 20-30 minutes (200C / 400F) until well browned and tender.
different spices – cumin is really lovely but you could use coriander seed, smoked paprika or a spice blend like garam masala or baharat (lebanese 7 spice).
different veg – brussels sprouts are amazing fried or you could try broccoli, pumpkin or sweet potato.
more decadent – serve with a big dollop of your favourite mayo or aioli (home made of course)
low carb – replace chickpeas with cooked chicken or double the cauli.
Waste Avoidance Strategy
oil / cumin seeds / chickpeas – keep in the pantry.
cauliflower – will keep in a plastic bag in the fridge for weeks. To keep for longer, chop into florettes and pop in the freezer. If you have time, grating the cauli before freezing will make life easier so you can just defrost and serve.
baby spinach – best to use for another meal. Can be frozen but will wilt when defrosted.
lemon – will keep for months in a plastic bag in the fridge.
Add to my Old Favourite Recipes
Yum, I loved making this for lunch today. I roasted the cauli and used a bit of dried chilli flakes on top as well as cumin for a bit of heat (it’s a bit cool here today). I think the cauli would also go well with butter beans or lentils, whatever is in the cupboard!
Absolutely Julia! I’m excited about the cool change and getting back into dishes like this 🙂