Hello everyone! First and foremost, I would like to apologize for the long pause between this article and the last post. We traveled through Peru for a while, and just recently returned to our home-base in New England. We are excited to share our adventures and mishaps with you soon. For now, I want to share a quick and easy vegan recipe that I am sure everyone will love to make and eat.
This recipe that finds its inspiration in Malay cuisine. Plant-based AND gluten-free cauliflower balls in a rich curried spinach sauce. There aren’t many ingredients that comprise this dish, but they all play a key role in packing it with flavor and textures.
Enjoy the cauliflower balls as an appetizer or a main course.
Prep Time: 45 min | Cook Time: 40-45 min | Chill Time: 1 hr | Bake Time: 28-30 min |Makes: 12 | Difficulty Level: ♦ ♦ – Beginner
the cauliflower balls
- ½ cauliflower head – to make “cauliflower rice”
- ½ cup basmati rice, raw
- 3 tbsp rice flour
- 2 Tsp turmeric powder
- 2 tsp sesame seeds
- 1 tsp salt (Kala Namak, preferably)
- 1 tsp green peppercorn, crushed
for the curry
- 2 cups coconut milk
- 1 cup spinach
- ½ cup cashews
- 1 small carrot
- ½ yellow onion
- ¼ cup shredded coconut – unsweetened
- 1 tbsp coconut oil
- 1 tbsp garam masala
- 1 tbsp fenugreek
On to the “cauliballs”
Bring water to a boil in a medium pot. Rinse the cauliflower head, cut in half, and divide the florets from the stem. Boil the florets for 5-7 minutes, drain, and blitz for a few instants in a food processor to make the cauliflower rice. Do not over-blitz or the cauliflower balls’ texture won’t come out right. Place the cauliflower rice in a large mixing bowl and set aside.
In a small pot, bring 1½ cup water to a boil. Add the turmeric powder, salt and rice and cook for 15 minutes, or until the water is completely absorbed. Put the rice in the mixing bowl with the cauliflower and season with green pepper, sesame seeds and salt to taste. Mix well with a wooden spoon until the ingredients are amalgamated, then add the rice flour. Combine and chill for at least 1 hr, so that the mix will set adequately.
The curried spinach sauce
On a cutting board, chop the carrot into 1” pieces and dice the onion. In a medium skillet, melt the coconut oil with the garam masala and fenugreek. Once the prices are fragrant, add the onion, carrot, and cashew pieces. Saute on medium for 2-3 minutes. Add the milk, spinach, shredded coconut, and salt. Simmer for 30-35 minutes. Set aside and serve warm with the cauliflower balls.
Some baking required
Preheat the oven to 400ºF.
Remove the cauliflower ball mixture from the refrigerator. With the help of a 1/4 size measuring cup, retrieve ¼ cup of the mix to form a ball with your hands. The mixture makes approximately 12 veggie balls. Place the cauliflower balls on a greased baking dish and bake for 30 minutes, or until slightly crusty and golden brown on the outside.
Warm up the spinach coconut sauce and serve along the cauliballs.
extras and tips
For the cauliflower rice: remember, it’s very important not to boil the florets for too long. They should retain their shape firmly and be somewhat crunchy after cooking. Do not boil longer than 7 minutes. When ready, drain well and blitz only for a few instants in a food processor. Do not mince the cauliflower florets to obtain a very fine meal or the balls’ texture won’t come out right.
