Roasted Cauliflower with Rendang Curry

Serves 4-6 Rated:

All the deep, spiced, coconut-rich glory of a Malaysian rendang, lavished on a whole golden roasted cauliflower. No beef, no four-hour wait!

Rendang is one of the great dishes of the world, and anyone who tells you otherwise hasn't had a good one. That dark, caramelised paste of chilli, lemongrass, galangal, ginger and toasted coconut, slowly cooked until it clings to everything, is pure magic. Traditionally that magic happens with beef over several hours. This version gives cauliflower the same treatment in a fraction of the time.

The cauliflower is roasted until it's charred and nutty at the edges, then tossed through a rich rendang sauce that the Thermomix takes care of, blitzing the spice paste and cooking it down without you standing over a pot. The result is sticky, fragrant, a little fiery and seriously satisfying. It's a meatless main that holds its own on any table, whether it's a weeknight with our fragrant rice or the centrepiece of a spread for friends.

Serving suggestions

The classic way is with a big bowl of steamed jasmine rice, or coconut rice if you're going all in, to soak up every bit of that rich, sticky sauce.

For a Malaysian-style spread, serve it nasi lemak style with coconut rice, sliced cucumber, roasted peanuts, a boiled egg and a spoonful of sambal. Add crispy ikan bilis for anyone who isn't keeping it meatless.

Something fresh on the side balances the richness. A simple cucumber and red onion acar, a crunchy herb salad with mint, coriander and Thai basil, or a squeeze of lime over the top will cut through the coconut.

Flaky roti canai or warm flatbreads are ideal for mopping up the sauce. Nobody will complain about more carbs.

As part of a banquet, set it out alongside a green vegetable stir-fry, a dal or another curry, and let everyone share.

To drink, try an off-dry Riesling or a Gewürztraminer, since a touch of sweetness tames the chilli. For something without alcohol, iced lemongrass tea or a cold lime soda does the job.

 

Need

Do

1  

Place whole cauliflower into the steaming dish. Place water and whole spices into the mixing bowl.

2  

Set steaming dish into position. Steam 30 min/120°C/speed 2. Set cauliflower aside. Keep the infused water to cook the rice with.

3  

To make the curry paste, place all ingredients into the mixing bowl. Chop 20 sec/speed 10. Scrape and repeat until smooth. Leave in bowl.

4  

To make the Rendang sauce, Add whole spices to the curry paste in the mixing bowl. Cook 10 min/120°C/Reverse/speed 1. Add coconut, cook 2 min/120°C/Reverse/speed 1.

5  

Add remaining ingredients and cook 10 min/100°C/Reverse/speed 2.

6  

Preheat oven to 230°C. Pour Rendang sauce into a large casserole dish. Place whole cauliflower in the centre. Drizzle with EVOO and sprinkle with salt.

7  

Cook for 45 minutes, or until the cauliflower has started to brown nicely.

8  

Meanwhile, to make the rice, top up with more water to make it 1 litre.

9  

Place rice in the simmering basket. Insert and cook *14 min/100°C/speed 4.

10  

Serve curry with rice and garnishes.

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Tenina Holder is a wife, mother of five and grandmother of nine, who started cooking in the olden days before Thermomix was even a thing.

Tenina has become the premium go to source for all Thermomix expertise and of course fresh and easy recipes that work. Her cooking classes and foodie trips are sold out in literally hours, her cookbooks appear on the Australian best seller lists and her social reach is in the millions. Her Insider Club is the most fun you can have with a Thermomix and you really should join her! She believes chocolate, butter and salt are health foods. Her food positivity mantra is, eat everything, just not all at once! 

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