Curried Cauliflower Couscous

To me, the cauliflower is an underutilized vegetable that needs to be crowned as the most versatile vegetable.

When I say that, I’m not even talking about the latest food fad it’s riding as a carb alternative with all the cauli rice, cauli pizza crusts and more. I just love how it transforms when roasted with some parmesan, or curried and paired with Indian roti, or stir-fried with cumin and chilies.

So when I saw these enormous cauliflowers’ at the supermarket during my weekly run for bananas on Friday, I knew what I’d make for Saturday’s market before we’re all relegated to the cold aisles pushing our metal carts, filling it with produce that was flown in from distances longer than our travel bucket list.

So in the spirit of the current popularity, here’s a recipe for a curried cauliflower couscous, sans any grains, that showcases the produce at the markets right now in this late summer / early fall season.

The veggies came from Farmer Dave’s, Kelly’s Farm Stand and Flats Mentor Farms; the olives from Habibi Gourmet Food. And, like any recipe, feel free to experiment with the herbs and veggies that you add to your cauliflower couscous; also at home I’ve added raisins and toasted almonds that really enhance the flavours further.

Serves 4-6
1 medium cauliflower
1 red pepper
1 cup cherry tomatoes halved
1 cup sliced scallions
½ cup chopped cilantro
1 clove of garlic minced
½ cup chopped olives
2-3 tbsp. olive oil
1 tbsp. curry powder
1 tbsp. cider or champagne vinegar
salt and pepper to taste

1. Clean and chop all the veggies into bite sizes, mince the garlic, and chop the cauliflower into small pieces, if you shred it, the texture may change into more of a tabouli
2. Reserve the chopped cilantro, scallions and tomatoes to mix later
3. Heat the oil in a large pan and stir fry the garlic and red peppers for about 5 minutes; then add the cauliflower, salt and spread it out to help the caramelization on medium-high heat
4. Stir after about 5-7 minutes and add the curry powder and a splash of vinegar; spread out the mix and let it cook for another 5-8 minutes, when the cauliflower looks tender and has browned a little, turn off the heat and let it cool off a little When still warm, add the olives, tomatoes, herbs and scallions
5. Adjust for salt, pepper and acid; serve warm or cold as a side, over a salad or nibble with crackers