Cauliflower Lime Leaf Curry

I scribbled this down on a piece of paper whilst making it and of course I can’t find that piece of paper. So this is from memory and fingers crossed it is correct! But you can’t go far wrong. My favourite recipes are often those which are created from whatever is left in the fridge.

We airbnb’d our house for half term and our visitors left two small cauliflowers (they also left some creamy white chocolate, so all good!) and this is where they ended, in a delicious curry at lunchtime.

INGREDIENTS
4 tbsp rapeseed oil, mustard oil, or olive oil
1 large onion, sliced
2 tsp black onion seeds
2 tsp ground cumin
1 tsp turmeric
1 tsp salt
2 tsp garlic paste (3 cloves, crushed)
2 tsp ginger paste (4cm length, grated)
600g caulflower, chopped into bite size pieces
300ml water
100ml coconut milk
8 or so lime leaves
1 tbsp chickpea flour

1. Place the oil in a pan and add the onion.
2. Fry the onion over a gentle heat until glossy for about 8 minutes.
3. Push the onion to the side of the pan and add the mustard seeds. Turn up the heat a little and let them crackle for a few seconds.
4. Add the dry spices and salt and stir them together with the mustard seeds and the onion. Add more oil if necessary to maintain moisture.
5. Mix in the ginger and garlic pastes and then add the cauliflower.
6. Stir the mixture so that the cauliflower is coated in the spice mix.
7. Pour water into the pan so that there is centimeter or so at the bottom of the pan. Put a lid on and let it simmer gently for about 10 minutes before adding the lime leaves. (I keep mine in the freezer and add them straight from there). Put the lid back on and continue to simmer gently until cooked through.
8. Stir in the coconut milk.
9. Now put a sieve over a saucepan that will hold the liquid, and tip the curry into the sieve, catching the liquid in the pan.
10. Wipe the pan you cooked the curry in with kitchen roll before returning it to the heat.
11. Put 1 tbsp of chickpea flour in the pan and allow it to brown a little over a medium heat, tossing it about the pan so it does not burn.
12. Take the liquid and gradually pour it on top of the chickpea flour, using a whisk to mix it in until all the liquid has been added. This will thicken the liquid and the chickpea flour holds the flavours well and helps to create a more substantial sauce.
13. Return the contents of the sieve to the pan with the sauce and set aside with the lid on until needed, heating through a little more if necessary.
14. I served this with mango chutney and rice.