Ingredients
· 1 whole cauliflower
· Shawarma-spiced butter
· 40g unsalted butter, softened to room temperature
· 1 lemon, juiced
· 1 garlic clove, minced
· 1½ tbsp coriander, finely chopped
SHAWARMA SPICE MIX
· 1 tbsp cinnamon
· 1 tbsp sumac
· 1½ tsp ground cumin
· ½ tsp paprika
· Pinch of nutmeg
· Pinch of ground cardamom
TAHINI
· 80g raw tahini
· 2 tbsp lemon juice, freshly squeezed
· 1-2 garlic cloves, minced
· 1 tsp sea salt
FOR THE GARNISH
· Pomegranate seeds
· Pomegranate molasses (thinned down with water)
· Dry unsalted roast nuts of your choice (I used blanched almonds)
· Parsley, finely chopped
Method
1. Trim outer leaves of the cauliflower. It’s okay to leave some on as they add great taste when they crisp up in the oven. Par-boil head of cauliflower for 8-10 minutes. You want it to keep its shape so don’t overdo it. Ideally you should be able to pierce the cauliflower with a knife whilst retaining some resistance. Start heating your oven to 220 Celsius.
2. Prepare the tahini dressing while cauliflower is boiling. Combine and mix all the ingredients for the tahini dressing and gradually add cold water until it turns into a smooth, silky dressing consistency.
3. In a bowl, make the shawarma spiced butter by combining the softened butter with your spice mix, lemon juice and garlic. Fold in chopped coriander after everything is evenly combined.
4. Once boiled, strain and dry your cauliflower head. Cut cauliflower in half through the base. Then brush it liberally with the spiced butter. Try and get between the florets as much as possible. Save some of the butter for brushing at the end.
5. Place cauliflower halves in a baking tray and roast in the oven for around 30 minutes or until golden brown. Roasting time will depend on the size of your cauliflower so keep an eye on it. For extra charring you can set your oven to grill and roast for another 3-5 minutes.
6. After roasting, transfer to a plate and brush with the remaining butter. Spoon over the tahini dressing and pomegranate molasses and finish by sprinkling the nuts, pomegranate seeds and chopped parsley.
Enjoy
Amanda