The most creamy, comforting curry

This recipe happened kind of by accident. It was one of those days where it felt like the sun had disappeared at like 2pm, when all I wanted was something warm and comforting but there was almost nothing in the fridge. All I could see was half a cauliflower, some leftover canned tomatoes, pickled red onions and a lot of fresh ginger. Then this cauliflower curry happened. Exactly what I needed and wanted, even if I wasn’t aware of it at the time.

That’s the thing about curries – they’re so simple and so adaptable. Whether you have meat, poultry or vegetables, as long as you have a well stocked pantry, with spices and a tin of coconut milk, you can make something beautiful with very little effort. Cauliflower in particular is gorgeous in a curry, especially if it’s roasted – hence why it’s the star of this recipe.

You might be wondering if you really need the pickled onions. My answer would be yes – these are non-negotiable for this dish. They add texture, acidity and crunch. Put ‘em on everything, they transform every dish.

Recipe / serves 3

Ingredients

For the pickled red onions

1 medium red onion

Juice of 1 lemon

1/4 tsp salt

1/4 tsp granulated sugar

Water to cover

For the roasted cauliflower

1/2 large cauliflower

2 tbsp sunflower oil

1 tsp curry powder, maybe more

Salt & freshly ground black pepper

For the curry

1 small white onion

2 garlic cloves

1/2 thumb-sized piece of fresh ginger

2 1/2 tsp curry powder

1/2 tsp cumin

1/2 tsp turmeric

1/2 tsp garam masala

30g cashews

200g of tomatoes / tomato passata

200ml of coconut milk

100ml double cream

100ml boiling water

Juice from half a lime

Method

Make the pickled onions first. Thinly slice your red onions, then place in jar with the salt and lemon juice. Give everything a mix, place the lid on the jar, then set aside for at least 30 minutes while you make the curry.

Preheat your oven to 180°C / 350°F, then prepare your cauliflower by breaking into medium sized florets. Toss in some oil, curry powder, salt and pepper, then add to a baking tray and bake for 20-25 minutes, or until tender, and easily pierced with a fork.

While the cauliflower is in the oven, chop your onions, mince the garlic and grate the ginger. Then, place a pot over a low-medium heat and heat the oil, or melt the ghee. Once hot, add the onions with a sprinkling of salt and sweat for about two minutes, stirring continously. Then add the ginger and garlic, and continue to sweat.
Note: If they begin to brown, add a splash of water as needed to prevent from burning.

Add the curry powder, garam masala, cumin and turmeric to the pot, and stir. After about a minute, add the cashews, tomatoes, coconut milk and boiling water. Stir and bring the sauce to a boil, then reduce the heat and allow to simmer for 10 minutes, until the cashews are soft.

Take the sauce off the heat, and blend with either a hand-held blender, or a standard blender. Once the sauce has been puréed, you can pass it through a sieve for a super smooth sauce if you like.

Place the sauce back over a low heat, add the cream lime juice and adjust seasoning as needed with salt and black pepper.

Make sure your cauliflower and curry are piping hot before serving. Pop the cauliflower into warm bowls, and spoon the curry sauce over. Add the pickled onions on top. serve with fluffy rice or naan, and enjoy!

Notes

My fluffy flatbread recipe

Legit the easiest recipe for flatbreads. 1 cup of self raising flour, 1/2 cup of Greek yoghurt and a generous pinch of salt. Mix together and knead for about 2 minutes until it’s smooth-ish. Leave to rest for about 10-20 minutes, ideally while you’re prepping your curry, then divide into 3 pieces. Roll out with a rolling pin and fry in oil on a blazing hot frying pan. I love adding a bit of vegan butter or ghee to the oil as well if I have it. Cook until both sides are golden brown, and keep warm wrapped in tinfoil or in a warm oven until you’re ready to serve.

Storage

The pickled red onions should keep in the fridge for up to two weeks. The flavour continues to develop as time goes on, so they honestly just get better and better. If the liquid starts to go really cloudy, or if there’s mould growing or a reeeally stinky smell that does not smell like onions, get rid of them.

If you have leftovers of the roasted cauliflower curry, it will keep in the fridge for 3 days, and in the freezer for 2 months. I’d recommend you omit the cream if you’re planning on freezing the sauce - just add it whenever you’ve defrosted it and are heating it back up again.