Cauliflower Roasted-Low Carb Pan Seared

Cauliflower roast is a quick and simple dish. This is a hassle-free recipe with very few ingredients which you can whisk up in no time. Cauliflower is one vegetable I buy almost every week and cook them in several different ways. Are there days when you are craving for lighter dinner options? There are days when I like to do elaborate cooking and then there are days when I like to spend as little time as possible in the kitchen. Well in days when I want dinner in a jiffy, cauliflower is always a favorite option and during peak seasons this vegetable is insanely inexpensive.

Cauliflower is a lovely vegetable, packed with a rich supply of nutrients, vitamin c, folate, and anti-oxidants. It is a gluten-free low carb substitute for potato and rice. The best way to prepare cauliflower is roasting it. It brings out the nutty sweetness of the vegetable and complements well with any spicy meal. Here I have used a pan searing/ stir fry technique to roast the cauliflower. But you can also roast them in the oven. The marinade for the cauliflower is towards the spicy side with flavors of ginger and garlic, bold earthy flavor of garam masala and kick of black pepper. While this is my favorite flavor combination, you can swap up the seasoning according to your taste preference. This pan-roasted cauliflower has a golden crispy on the outside and moist and fork-tender on the inside. Try this simple side dish and let me know how it turned out :) Happy Cooking!

How to cook the perfect roast cauliflower

You can cook the cauliflower on stovetop or roast in the oven. For the stovetop method use a heavy bottom pan or a cast-iron skillet for best results. Cast iron will retain heat longer and help in quickly roasting the vegetable. Do not overcrowd the pan. If you are using the oven method put the setting in high around 400 or 425 degrees F. Cauliflower is a vegetable with high water content. A lower temperature will let the vegetable ooze out water and it will be difficult to get a golden crisp.

Eggs and bread crumbs will give a crispy and crunchy exterior. But if you want a vegetarian version you can avoid eggs.

Fried Onion paste can be used instead of sliced onions. It enhances the flavor and also helps the marinade to stay intact.

It is flexible when it comes to the spice mix. Here I have used Indian style garam masala but Italian spice mix, middle east spice mix, sumac or all spices all goes well with cauliflower. If you want to keep it even more simple just olive oil, garlic salt, and pepper will be perfect.

The Recipe
Cooking time- 20 minutes
Recipe Type Side dish
Cuisine: Indian
Ingredients
Cauliflower florets - 2 cup
Onion - 1 medium
Ginger garlic paste- 2 tsp
Chilly powder- 1 tsp
Pepper powder- 1/2 tsp
Turmeric powder- 1/3 tsp
Garam Masala- 1/2 tsp
Egg- 1
Corn flour- 1 tsp
Bread crumb- 1 tbs
Oil - 2 tsp
Salt to taste

Cut and clean cauliflower florets into equal bite size pieces. This will ensure even browning.
Add salt and 5 to 6 tsp of water and cook in high in microwave oven for three minutes.This step is optional.
Beat egg and mix in ginger- garlic paste,chilly powder,pepper powder, turmeric and garam masala and mix with the cauliflower. Gently mix in the masala with out breaking the florets.Sprinkle corn flour and bread crumbs and toss them gently.
Heat a cast iron skillet or a frying pan with two tsp of oil and saute sliced onion till translucent. Spread out the cauliflower in a single layer and roast on one side till slightly golden. Using a wide spatula gently toss and flip to the other side. Continue roasting till all sides are crispy and the cauliflower is fork tender. Serve warm( if you like add lemon juice just before serving). Enjoy!

You might also like,
Cauliflower Pepper Fry
Cauliflower Paneer Masala
Gobi Manchurian/ Cauliflower Manchurian
Cauliflower Prawns Rice
Cauliflower Egg Stir-Fry

Try this,
Hope you will all enjoy!