You Don’t Need to Be a Vegetarian to Love This Curry-Garlic Roasted Cauliflower

Vegetarian meals can have a reputation for being bland and boring, but the Institute of Culinary Education has a recipe that may change your mind. This curry-garlic roasted cauliflower works equally well as a meat-free main or as a side dish.

This recipe calls for sweating the garlic, which might be an unfamiliar phrase for beginner cooks. Barbara Rich, an assistant director of education and culinary arts chef-instructor at ICE, tells Mental Floss that the technique involves cooking garlic over low heat. The goal is to soften the allium without browning it. Burnt garlic has an unpleasant, bitter taste, so it’s important to avoid cooking it for too long. 

Now that you know how to sweat the garlic, you can begin making the curry oil for the recipe. Start by preheating the oven to 350℉. As it warms up, heat two ounces of canola oil in a skillet on low heat and add the crushed garlic to the pan. Season with salt and sauté the ingredient for several minutes, taking care not to burn it.

After about four minutes, add the curry powder, turmeric, bay leaf, and thyme to the pan. Chef Rich recommends fresh thyme, as dried herbs generally don’t have the same flavor profile. Once you’ve mixed in these ingredients, cook for an additional two minutes. Next, add the remaining oil to the pan and bring it up to 185°F. ICE shares that this temperature is best for extracting flavors from the spices without burning them. It‘s best to use a thermometer to monitor the temperature, but don‘t worry if you don‘t have one. If that’s the case, heat the oil over low heat until the spices become more fragrant. After removing the pot from the stove, let the ingredients infuse for at least 30 minutes. Finally, strain the curry oil and set it aside.  

Now it’s time to work on the cauliflower florets. Add the veggies, garlic cloves, curry oil, and salt to a bowl and marinate the mixture for 30 minutes. Once the time is up, place the ingredients on a parchment-lined sheet tray and roast them uncovered for 12 to 15 minutes, or until tender. Test the cauliflower for doneness by piercing it with a fork: The utensil should go easily through the vegetables. When the cauliflower is cooked through, adjust the seasoning if needed and serve.

The Institute of Culinary Education is one of the largest culinary schools in the world, with campuses in New York City and Los Angeles. Both locations offer a variety of comprehensive courses, from health-supportive culinary arts to pastry and baking classes. To learn more about the classes at ICE, visit its website. 

Curry-Garlic Roasted Cauliflower 

Serves: 4-6 as a side

Curry oil:

½ head garlic, peeled and crushed

2 fluid ounces plus 4 fluid ounces of canola oil

¼ teaspoon salt

2 tablespoons curry powder

1 tablespoon turmeric

1 bay leaf

2 sprigs thyme

Cauliflower:

1 head cauliflower, cut into florets

7 cloves garlic, peeled

Curry oil

Salt 

1. Heat oven to 375°F.
   
2. Sweat the half-head of garlic in the 2 fluid ounces of oil in a small saucepan. Add a pinch of salt and cook 3 to 4 minutes without coloring. Add the curry powder, turmeric, bay leaf, and thyme. Continue cooking for another 2 minutes.
   
3. Add the remaining oil. Heat the spices over low heat until fragrant, or until a thermometer reads 185°F. Remove the pot from the stove and allow the ingredients to infuse for 30 minutes. Strain, discard the solids, and reserve oil.
   
4. Combine the cauliflower florets, garlic cloves, curry oil, and salt in a bowl and marinate for 30 minutes.
   
5. Place the ingredients on a parchment-lined sheet tray and roast uncovered for 12 to 15 minutes or until tender. Test for doneness, adjust seasoning, and serve.

Not in the mood for curry? Maybe you’ll enjoy some other veggie recipes from ICE, like these squash and leek dumplings or this mushroom tart.

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