Tamarind Cauliflower with Gingered Fried Rice & Cashews

A hearty dinner dish with a kick. Chillis optional and it is just as good without if you are not a big spice fan.

 

Makes 2 portions

Equipment needed: skillet or large frying pan, oven, chopping board, knife, baking tray

Total Time: 45minutes

 

Ingredients: 

  • 1 head of cauliflower
  • 3 garlic cloves
  • 1 oz fresh ginger
  • 1 Roma tomato
  • 2 scallions
  • 4 oz green beans
  • 2 dried bird’s eye chiles
  • ¾ cup short-grain brown rice
  • 2 tsp tamari
  • ¼ cup cashews
  • ¼ cup tamarind sauce
  • 2 tbsp vegetable oil

 

Method: 

  1. Preheat the oven to 425°F. Add brown rice, 1½ cups water, and a pinch of salt to a small saucepan. Bring to a boil, cover, reduce heat to low, and cook until the grains are tender and water is absorbed 30 to 35 minutes.
  2. Cut cauliflower into florets. Add cauliflower florets, 2 tsp vegetable oil, and a pinch of salt to a baking sheet, and toss. Roast until tender and browned in places, 15 to 20 minutes. Peel and mince the garlic and ginger. Cut tomato into wedges. Slice scallions into 2 inch pieces. Slice green beans into ½ inch pieces. Mince the bird’s eye chiles.
  3. Heat 1 tbsp vegetable oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add just half the minced garlic and just half the minced ginger. Cook until fragrant, 1 to 2 minutes. Add tomato wedges, sliced scallion, and sliced green beans, and cook until tender, 2 to 3 minutes.
  4. Add cooked brown rice to the skillet with the vegetables and cook until toasted, 2 to 3 minutes. Add tamari and cook for another minute. Taste, and add salt as necessary. Divide the gingered fried rice between plates.
  5. Return skillet to medium-high heat with 1 tsp vegetable oil. Add cashews and toast, tossing occasionally, 2 to 4 minutes. Add remaining minced garlic, remaining minced ginger, and as much of the minced bird’s eye chile as you’d like. Cook until fragrant, about 1 minute. Add tamarind sauce, reduce heat to medium, and simmer until slightly thickened, about 1 minute.
  6. Add roasted cauliflower florets to the tamarind sauce. Cook until cauliflower is fully coated and sticky, 1 to 2 minutes. Top the gingered fried rice with tamarind cauliflower. Tuck in!