cauliflower and white bean korma
Mild, creamy, gently warming, with a nutty roasted edge.
Roast first, slow onions, cashew cream instead of dairy.
A pot for the middle of the table. Gentle enough for anyone who doesn't do heat, and it's better made the night before, so you get to sit in the circle rather than stand at the hob.
The Cauliflower
1 large cauliflower, cut into florets
2 tbsp olive oil
The Sauce
100g cashews
2 tbsp ghee or coconut oil
2 onions, finely sliced
4 garlic cloves, crushed
30g fresh ginger, grated
400ml coconut milk
300ml vegetable stock
2 x 400g tins butter beans or cannellini, drained
The Spices
8 cardamom pods, lightly crushed
1 cinnamon stick
2 tsp ground coriander
1 tsp ground cumin
1 tsp ground turmeric
½ tsp ground fenugreek
To Finish
1½ tsp sea salt
1 lemon, juiced
30g flaked almonds, toasted
Handful fresh coriander, roughly chopped
Method
1 Cover the cashews with boiling water and leave to soak for 15 minutes.
2 Heat the oven to 220C (200C fan). Toss the cauliflower with the olive oil and a pinch of salt, and roast for about 25 minutes until tender with golden, catching edges.
3 Meanwhile, melt the ghee in a large heavy pan over a low-medium heat. Add the onions and cook slowly for about 15 minutes, stirring now and then, until soft and pale gold.
4 Add the garlic, ginger, cardamom and cinnamon. Cook for 2 minutes until fragrant, then stir in the ground spices for another minute.
5 Drain the cashews and blend with the coconut milk until completely smooth.
6 Pour the cashew sauce and stock into the pan. Simmer gently for 10 minutes, stirring so it doesn't catch. Fish out the cinnamon stick if you like.
7 Stir in the roasted cauliflower and the beans. Simmer for another 10 minutes until hot through and the sauce coats the back of a spoon.
8 Season with salt and lemon juice, tasting as you go. Scatter with almonds and coriander just before serving.
Make Ahead
Cook up to the end of step 7, cool and chill. Reheat gently with a splash of water, as the cashews thicken it overnight. Add the lemon, almonds and coriander only at the end.
Serve With
Basmati rice, warm flatbreads, pickled red onion and a cucumber and mint coconut yoghurt.