Spicy Roasted Cauliflower

Cauliflower is one of those veggies I have never warmed up to. Actually, I would have to say that I really don't dig it. At all. Except for the one time it made the list of the best foods I've ever eaten. It was at the same Indian buffet I mentioned in my entry about palak paneer. I was gathering various delightfully spicy vegetarian nibbles onto my plate, when I came to the serving platter with a small sign reading "Gobi 65" above it. Although I didn't know it at the time, I discovered later that Gobi (cauliflower) 65 is a variation on another popular dish, Chicken 65. There are many rumors on where the "65" part of the title comes from, from it being the 65th dish developed by a popular South Indian restaurant, to 65 representing the amount of ingredients in the original dish. Wherever the amusing name comes from, it is just one more reason that it is perhaps the best cauliflower dish ever created.

Gobi 65 is basically spiced, deep fried cauliflower. The version I had looked very similar to the fiery red of tandoori chicken. It was incredibly spicy, but with just the right amount of fat to keep your mouth from feeling like it was turning into lava.

That all said.... I didn't end up making Gobi 65. I've never been very good at deep frying, and it's not really on my diet. Instead, I searched for a recipe that looked like a healthier version of the dish.

I had high hopes when I came across a recipe for "Indian Roasted Cauliflower" online (thanks internet!!). It looked simple, healthy, and similar in spices to the Gobi 65 recipes I'd seen. I changed it a bit, halving the amount of chili powder (because our chili powder is super, super spicy) and adding some turmeric, which gave it a beautiful, vibrant yellow color. The final product was good, but it was still a bit too spicy for me, and it needed more olive oil. Even though it was imperfect, it was still way better than cauliflower would normally be. But I don't think I'd be in a big hurry to try it again, just because it's still cauliflower. But I think those of you who are fans of the veggie would love this recipe.



Spicy Roasted Cauliflower

One head of cauliflower
One tsp of chili powder
1/2 tsp cumin
1 tsp coriander
1 tsp of turmeric
3 cloves of garlic, finely chopped
lots of olive oil for drizzling

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Separate the cauliflower into smallish florets and spread onto a baking sheet.

2. Measure spices into a bowl and set aside. Chop garlic and put into the spice bowl. Mix until well distributed.

3. Drizzle a good amount of olive oil onto the cauliflower pieces, and toss to coat. Sprinkle spice mixture evenly of the florets, and toss again until evenly coated.

4. Place baking sheet in the oven for 30 minutes, turning the cauliflower over halfway through cooking. Serve as a side dish with your favorite curry, or as a meal of its own.