Coconut Pepper Curry with Cumin Roasted Cauliflower

A delicious curry that's infinitely better on day three making it great for meal-prep.

If saucy meals + leftovers are your jam, you’re in the right spot. I swear, day three leftovers are where it’s at with this one. Cauliflower is such a great blank canvas, sort of like tofu. As it sits in the sauce it gets richer and richer. I can’t get enough.

One of my favorite dishes recently has been the Haitian roasted cauliflower at Kann here in Portland. It’s charred to perfection with Jerk seasonings and served with a perfectly tart sour coconut cream that’s quite honestly drinkable.

The most delicious Haitian roasted cauliflower at Kann in Portland, Oregon. Chef Gregory Gourdet nailed it with the sour coconut cream sauce, total perfection.

Cauliflower is simply the perfect canvas. For this recipe, I started by roasting the cauliflower with a cumin-heavy spice blend. A quick roast in the oven or air-fryer will do the trick.

Next, the curry sauce comes together pretty quickly. You’ll start by sautéing the onion, peppers, and garlic with the spices then blending half until smooth with the coconut milk.

Simmer everything together for a few minutes and you’ll have a delicious and vegetable-heavy meal.

I like to serve this with plain white rice, some spicy pickles (usually a blend of onion, serrano, and habanero - pineapple is great added in too), and plenty of fresh lime.

mains

Yield: 4

Author: Lauren Lester

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Coconut Pepper Curry with Cumin Roasted Cauliflower

A delicious curry that's infinitely better on day three making it great for meal-prep.

Prep time: 15 MinCook time: 45 MinTotal time: 1 Hour

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Ingredients

Cumin Roasted Cauliflower

• 1 large head cauliflower
• 3 tablespoons avocado oil
• 1 teaspoon cumin
• 1 teaspoon onion powder
• 1 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1/2 teaspoon sea salt

Coconut Pepper Curry

• 2 tablespoons dairy-free unsalted butter
• 1 large white onion, thinly sliced
• 3 bell peppers, thinly sliced (red, yellow, and green)
• 6 cloves garlic, pressed
• 1 serrano, thinly sliced
• 1 teaspoon ground turmeric
• 1 teaspoon ground coriander
• 1 teaspoon cumin
• 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
• 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
• 1/2 teaspoon sea salt
• 1/2 large bunch cilantro, stems and leaves
• 1 (13.5-ounce) can full-fat coconut milk
• Juice and zest of 1 small lemon or lime

For Serving:

• Cooked rice
• Pickles
• Hot sauce
• Plenty of cut limes

Instructions

For the Cumin Roasted Cauliflower

1. Preheat the oven to 450° F.
2. Wash the cauliflower and remove any leaves that are wilted. Slice off the bottom hard part of the stalk then cut into bite-sized florets. Give the greens a rough chop.
3. In a large bowl or directly on a sheet pan, rub the cauliflower with the spice mixture [1 teaspoon: onion powder, garlic powder, sea salt, and cumin, 1/2 teaspoon sea salt]
4. Spread the cauliflower into a single layer on the sheet pan and transfer to the oven. Roast for 25-20 minutes or until the cauliflower is starting to char and the inside is fork tender. If you like your cauliflower extra-charred, broil for the last 3-5 minutes.

For the Coconut Pepper Curry:

1. Heat the butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Once hot, add in the sliced onion, bell pepper, garlic, and serrano.
2. Cook, stirring occasionally, for 5-7 minutes until the peppers and onions are starting to brown and are softened.
3. Stir in the spices [1 teaspoon turmeric, coriander, cumin, paprika, sea salt] and toast for 30 seconds - 1 minute until fragrant.
4. Squeeze in the lemon or lime juice. Turn off the heat.
5. Add half of the onion and pepper mixture to a blender along with the cilantro and coconut milk. Blend until smooth then pour back into the skillet.
6. Turn the skillet back to medium-high and bring to a simmer. Once simmering, stir in the roasted cauliflower and cook for another 1-2 minutes.
7. Serve immediately with rice, pickles, hot sauce, and plenty of lime slices.

Notes

Store any leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. I swear, the leftovers on day three is where the sweet spot is. The cauliflower has had time to soak up all the fragrant spices and sauce - this is a must for meal-prep.

https://www.laurenlester.net/recipes/coconut-pepper-curry-with-cumin-roasted