£1 Wonders
By Karan Gokani
Air-fryer cauliflower curry
With coconut & onion rotis
Not Too Tricky
serves 4
Recipe From
Ingredients
1 head of cauliflower
6 tablespoons neutral oil
1½ teaspoons turmeric
1½ teaspoons chilli powder
2 tablespoons Madras curry powder
½ a stick of cinnamon
¾ teaspoon cumin seeds
1 small red onion, finely chopped (approx 100g)
2 cloves of garlic, minced
1 stalk of curry leaves (10-12 leaves)
300ml coconut milk
100g frozen peas
¾ teaspoon granulated sugar
COCONUT & ONION ROTIS
250g plain flour
1 teaspoon salt
1 small red onion, finely sliced (approx 100g)
10-12 curry leaves (1 stalk), finely chopped (1g)
100ml coconut milk
20-30ml warm water, or more or less as required
Top Tip
GET AHEAD
If you’re making the rotis ahead, store them in a box wrapped in a clean kitchen towel and warm on a pan for 1 minute before serving.
Method
- Slice up the cauliflower into chunks or 1-inch thick steaks, reserving the leaves and any tiny florets and trimmings. Roughly chop up the leaves into ½cm pieces, discarding any thick woody stems.
- Mix 5 tablespoons of oil with 1 teaspoon each of turmeric and chilli powder, along with 1 tablespoon of curry powder and ½ a teaspoon of salt. Rub this marinade all over the steaks, reserving a small amount to lightly toss through the leaves and florets.
- Air-fry the steaks at 190°C for 15 minutes, until cooked through. If your air-fryer has a basket rather than shelves, you should turn the steaks over halfway through cooking. If after 15 minutes you need more colour on the cauliflower, raise the temperature to 200°C and cook for an extra 4 to 6 minutes.
- Meanwhile, mix the flour, salt, sliced red onion, chopped curry leaves and coconut milk together in a large mixing bowl and gradually add warm water, a little at a time as required, to bring together as a cohesive dough that is soft, but does not stick to your hands. The dough should have the consistency of playdough. Knead for about 3 minutes by hand until it all comes together. Leave to rest at room temperature, covered with a damp towel for about 10 minutes.
- Lay the florets and leaves on parchment and cook for 8 to 10 minutes at 200°C to crisp them up, then leave them aside (this can be done along with the steaks if you have a multi-level air-fryer) while you make the curry.
- Heat 1 tablespoon of oil in a saucepan over a medium heat. Add the cinnamon stick and cumin seeds to it. Fry for 20 to 30 seconds, being careful not to burn the delicate seeds.
- Add the onion and garlic along with a pinch of salt and cook on a medium-low heat until they are very soft and translucent, approximately 10 to 12 minutes.
- Now add the curry leaves (along with the stalks and all) and remaining ground spices. Fry for 20 seconds and then add the coconut milk. Add the frozen peas to the sauce and simmer for 5 to 8 minutes on a medium heat, then season with salt and sugar to your taste.
- To make the rotis, divide the dough into 4 balls and roll out into discs approximately 5mm thick. I prefer a slightly rough, natural look rather than perfect circles, the key is to ensure they are of the same thickness across to ensure they cook evenly.
- Heat a dry non-stick pan over a high heat and then reduce heat to medium and cook the rotis for 4 to 6 minutes, flipping halfway through. The key is not to use oil or fat when cooking the rotis and to cook them on a hot dry pan, so they roast as opposed to fry.
- Pour the sauce over the cauliflower steaks just before serving, garnish with the florets and serve with the warm rotis on the side.
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