courtesy of by Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall
This beautifully simple, light curry is closely based on a wonderful recipe from chef Angela Hartnett. It's always preferable to use some carefully selected ground and whole spices in a recipe like this, but if you're in a hurry, use a ready-made curry powder instead of the dry spices.
Ingredients 1 medium-large cauliflower (about 1 3/4 pounds/800g), trimmed
Sea salt
2 tablespoons sunflower oil
1 onion, chopped
4 garlic cloves, chopped
1 teaspoon freshly grated ginger
2 teaspoons ground coriander
2 teaspoons ground cumin
A large pinch of dried chile flakes
2 star anise
1 (14-ounce/400g) can plum tomatoes, chopped, any stalky ends and skin removed
1 (14-ounce/400g) can chickpeas, drained and rinsed
2 teaspoons garam masala
A good handful of cilantro, chopped
Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
Method- Cut the cauliflower into medium florets. Put into a large pan, cover with cold water, add some salt, and bring up to a rolling boil. This will partly cook the cauliflower. Take off the heat right away, drain well, and keep warm in the pan.
- Heat the oil in a second large saucepan over medium heat. Add the onions, garlic, and ginger and sauté for about 10 minutes, stirring often.
- Add the ground coriander, cumin, chile flakes, star anise, and some salt and pepper and cook for a further 5 minutes.
- Add the tomatoes with their juice and the chickpeas. Stir well, then add the parcooked cauliflower. Pour in enough cold water to almost but not quite cover everything (1/3 to 3/4 cup/100 to 200ml) and bring to a simmer. Simmer for 5 to 10 minutes, stirring once or twice, until the cauliflower is tender.
- Stir in the garam masala and half of the chopped cilantro, then check the seasoning. Serve scattered with the remaining cilantro and accompanied by rice, flat breads, or naan.