Curry Favor-ite

Deb's Catering, the lunch take-out place by my work, sometimes carries curried cauliflower.  When it's at the salad bar, I always heap loads into my little plastic container, thereby ensuring that Deb will win the profit margin game. 

I looked at a couple of recipes and decided on this set-it-and-forget-it, flavor-punching variation.  Cauliflower is cheap, and it's the perfect dish to make on a Sunday evening.  Don't bother with the stale little cylinders of McCormick's curry powder -- get thee to Kalustyan's and try a random masala.  The turmeric based ones add a pretty yellow color.  My masala of choice was a South Indian masala my friend Carol brought me from India. 

Curried Cauliflower

1 head of cauliflower washed and cut into florets
1/2 cup olive oil
1/4 cup red wine vinegar
1 tbsp. minced garlic
1 tbsp. minced ginger
1/2 tsp. salt
1 tsp. masala/curry powder
generous sprinkling of any dried/powdered chili pepper (I used Japanese yuzu pepper)
2 tbsp. fresh chopped cilantro

Mix the olive oil, vinegar, garlic, ginger, salt, masala and chili in a bowl.  Toss the cauliflower in the vinaigrette.  Pour the dressed cauliflower into a baking dish in a single layer.  Roast in a 450 degree oven for about 30 minutes, stirring every once in a while.  Remove from oven, toss with cilantro just before serving.  Can be served warm or room temperature.  Or cold, straight out of the fridge, and eaten with clean fingers.

*****

Emi, if you're reading this, you're probably thinking, "But you HATE white vegetables, Ganda, and you especially hate cauliflower!"  I'd just like to point out that:

A.  When you add the turmeric, the cauliflower is no longer white

and

B.  I have always and will always reserve the right to change my mind and admit that I was wrong

and

C.  That said, I don't think you'll ever be able to convince me to eat cold steamed cauliflower dipped in Kewpie mayonnaise

and

D.  You won't eat cheese of any kind but you make an exception for cheesecake, so I don't want to hear it.

Love you oka-san!

****

Thank you Rachel for pointing out the essential missing ingredient -- curry powder!  Have security get that recipe tester to turn in her building ID, that bitch is FIRED!