Katsu-style cauliflower
Nothing goes to waste in this katsu-style baked cauliflower – even the leaves end up in the sauce! This is a delicious vegan main course.
Ingredients
For the cauliflower
- 2 heaped tbsp smooth peanut butter
- 3 tbsp medium curry powder
- 3 tbsp rapeseed oil, plus extra for drizzling
- 2 tsp maple syrup
- 1 medium to large cauliflower, leaves removed and reserved, base trimmed so it stands upright
- 1 onion, finely chopped
- 2 large carrots, finely chopped
- 1 green pepper, finely chopped
- 3 garlic cloves, finely chopped
- 5cm/2in fresh root ginger, peeled and finely chopped
- 1 tsp garam masala
- 20²µ/¾´Ç³ú plain flour
- 568ml/1 pint vegetable stock
- 400g tin coconut milk
- 160g/5½oz frozen soya beans
- salt
For the crunchy topping
- 50²µ/1¾´Ç³ú peanuts, roughly chopped
- 2 heaped tbsp panko breadcrumbs
To serve
- 1 red chilli, finely sliced
- 2 spring onions, finely sliced
- 300g/10½oz steamed rice
Method
Preheat the oven to 180C/160C Fan/Gas 4.
Mix half the peanut butter with 2 tablespoons curry powder, 2 tablespoons rapeseed oil, 1 teaspoon maple syrup and ½ teaspoon of salt in a bowl. Spoon the paste over the cauliflower and rub it in to fully coat. Roast on a baking sheet for 45 minutes.
Meanwhile, heat a tablespoon of rapeseed oil in a shallow, ovenproof casserole dish and fry the onion, carrots and pepper over a low heat for around 15 minutes. Add the garlic and ginger, then the garam masala and the final tablespoon of curry powder. Next, add the flour and stir. Cook it out for a minute before adding the vegetable stock, followed by the coconut milk, the remaining teaspoon of maple syrup and the rest of the peanut butter and stirring again. Simmer for a few minutes, until thickened slightly, then take off the heat.
To make the crunchy topping, put the chopped peanuts in a bowl with the breadcrumbs and a drizzle of rapeseed oil. Mix together and set aside.
Scatter the peanut topping over the cauliflower, lightly pressing it in. Gently lift the cauliflower into the sauce using a large fish slice. Scatter the soya beans and reserved cauliflower leaves around the cauliflower in the sauce, and put the casserole dish in the oven for 10 minutes, until the topping is crisp.
Garnish the cooked cauliflower with red chilli and spring onions and serve at the table with steamed rice.