Tandoori Cauliflower

MARINADE:

• 1 head of cauliflower

• 150g greek yogurt

• 3 cloves of garlic

• 1 thumb of ginger

• 2 cayenne peppers

• 2-3 shallots

• 1 tsp cumin

• 1 tsp smoked paprika

• 1 tsp turmeric

• 2 Tbsp garam masala

RAITA INGREDIENTS:

• 1 container of Trader Joe’s almond mango yogurt

• 1/2 Persian cucumber

• 1/2 zest of a lemon

• pinch of garam masala

• pinch a Baharat

OTHER INGREDIENTS:

• 2 Tbsp of ghee

• Desired quantity of rice

BEER PAIRING:

Green Cheek | Outerspace is Weird

Style: New England IPA

Abv: 7.2%

Full disclosure: I first paired this dish with a West Coast IPA and the sauce from butter chicken and it didn’t quite work. Going back to the drawing board, I discovered what raita was and immediately sought out something with mango flavor that would bridge the gap between the beer and the dish. Luckily, I was right, and it paired beautifully. Take a look at the last clip of my recipe video and you’ll see my genuine reaction to this pairing.

Marinade

Equipment:

1. Cutting board

2. Knife

3. Mixing bowls

4. Microplane

Steps:

• Clean produce

• Cut cauliflower florets at the stem, making bite-sized pieces.

• Dice shallots and peppers, set aside.

• Microplane ginger and garlic.

• Add yogurt to a large mixing bowl.

• Combine all marinade ingredients and add spices. Then stir.

• Gently massage marinade into every nook of the cauliflower.

• Cover bowl with saran wrap and let site for 30 minutes to 3 hours in the fridge.

Cooking

Equipment:

1. Cast iron skillet (large)

2. Microplane

3. Bowls

Steps:

• Add about 1-2 Tbsp of ghee to a hot cast iron.

• Once the ghee is melted, add cauliflower.

• Cook on medium to medium high until you get the desired char on the florets.

• Once its done cooking, set aside.

Plating

Equipment:

1. Microplane

2. Bowls

3. Cheese grater

Steps:

• In a bowl add almond mango yogurt, spices, lemon zest and grated cucumber and stir

• Plate by starting with a bed of rice (any rice) and then add your tandoori cauliflower florets on top, allowing space for the raita.

• Top cauliflower with riata as well as fill in any empty space with the sauce.

• Optional: top dish with puffed rice grains and lemon zest.