Curried Cauliflower

October arrives with surprising softness in Southern California. To former New Yorkers used to both the crisp crunch of leaves and the cold winds that ensue all too soon, SoCal autumn is by turns charming and disarming. A crisp walk through the local park displays the signs of cresting autumn just as surely as does New England leafing, once an Angeleno learns to attune to them. Many of the palm trees fold their fronds toward their trunks, signaling the need for rest that is common to all of Mother's creatures. Our resident ravens and crows display either a frenzy of activity in preparation for overwintering or the dignified quietude that signals withdrawal. News reports increase covering wildlife making last-minute feeding and gathering rounds: coyotes in the hills, raccoons on city streets, big cats in Griffith Park.

At Urban Home Blog, we too get into the spirit of a warm October with food and drink. Southern California cooking often packs a punch of heat, and we’re not without our practice at this. One of the earliest, and still most popular, October columns is the recipe for curried popcorn. Autumn canning might include a batch of pickled jalapeños or Habañero Gold – have both ready to serve with warm rolls and bowls of chicken soup with lime and jalapeños. We serve our beans cowboy-style, with a bit of red chile, and we infuse our vodka with jalapeño. That hot vodka tastes great in a brunch Bloody Mary, but for teetotalers we have the steamy truth about stocking, and brewing, the perfect cup of hot coffee, from the pantry staples to stock to our recommendations for coffee maker and accessories.

A well-stocked spice cabinet is a cornerstone of a well-stocked pantry. Keeping spices and herbs available are in step with why we stock a pantry to begin with – so that, when we turn around, whatever we need is at hand to cook whatever we’re planning. Some spice blends are traditionally prepared as house specialties. These are best made by each cook, either at the time of cooking or in small batches to keep on hand. Two spice blends that not just house specialties but sources of household pride - and, sometimes, commerce -- are garam masala and curry powder.

In Indian cooking, garam masala is a "hot spice" mixture. It is called "hot" not for the taste but because it elevates body temperature, a common practice in Ayurveda. Garam masala is localized down to the household throughout India and South Asia, but typically includes pepper, cardamom, cumin, bay leaf, cinnamon, and cloves. It is stirred into food, or into water or coconut milk if taken as a tonic.

Curry is the term British Colonialists imposed upon the dishes that came out of Indian kitchens, with a spice mix following. Curries are akin to garam masala in that they are local to household, but they are also far-reaching, with curries being a cornerstone of British cooking as appropriated from Asian cuisines, as well as being a presence in Caribbean cooking. That presence is appropriate to curry, for "curry" refers to a sauce, typically the golden sauce that we all recognize from being ladled over rice. That sauce likely gets its distinctive tang from leaves from the kari tree that is native to India. Curry's golden color comes from turmeric, the dried rhizome of a member of the ginger family of plants. Aside from turmeric, curry can contain coriander, cumin, chili peppers, ginger, cinnamon, cloves, mustard, cardamom, fennel, fenugreek, and / or black pepper.

Curry powder is worthwhile to experiment with at home if you're so inclined. Cooks who commonly cook curries likely have perfected their own curry mixture. For the rest of us, the mix is especially tricky to get right, if for no other reason than what constitutes a curry being right is a moving target. Spice markets usually have good basic curry mixes, and can walk you through perfecting one. In our urban home, we like a medium hot curry with a strong golden hue. We use the curry powder sold in Asian supermarkets when we can get it, or the Sun Madras Curry Powder available in almost any supermarket.

Yes, we curry our popcorn, but my favorite ingredient to curry is cauliflower. Cauliflower has a mild flavor but substantial texture, which form both a frame and a base for a blast of golden heat. Here is my original recipe for curried cauliflower. Roasting the cauliflower brings out its mellow sweetness while shoring it up to stay substantial in the sauce. Serve it over rice for a quick healthy lunch or as an unexpected side dish with turkey burgers at dinnertime. Even John, who hates cauliflower, likes it curried -- proof positive of the unifying power of golden heat.

Curried Cauliflower

A head of cauliflower should feel full to the heft but not from water weight -- put the cauliflower back if it expresses water when you lift it. Look for tight, white florets with no brown, yellow, or black discoloration or soft spots. This recipe serves two.

1 medium head cauliflower

1 small white onion

1 small carrot

1 1-inch piece fresh ginger

2 garlic cloves

Vegetable oil

1 teaspoon white vinegar

1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon curry powder

Salt

1/3 cup heavy cream (optional; see note below)

Prepare the vegetables

1. Safely use a heavy knife (a bread knife is ideal) to cut away the stalk end of the cauliflower. Remove the leaves and any debris until you have just the white cauliflower head.
2. Place the cauliflower head on a vegetable-safe cutting board. Safely cut off the florets, which should come off in bite-sized pieces. Cut large florets if any into bite-sized pieces. Transfer the cut florets to an in-sink colander and rinse the cauliflower under cool water.
3. Peel the carrot. Working on the cutting board, safely use a sharp knife to cut off the stem and root ends of the carrot. Cut the carrot crossways into quarters. Cut each quarter in half lengthwise. Cut each length of carrot crossways to form small pieces.
4. Transfer the cut carrots to the colander containing the cauliflower florets. Sprinkle the vegetables with 1 teaspoon curry powder, using your hands to toss the vegetables with the curry powder.
5. Remove the skin from the onion. Safely use a sharp knife to remove the stem and root ends of the onion. Safely cut down the center of the onion from stem to root end, to form halves. Set one onion half aside for another use. Cut the remaining half from stem to root end into quarters. Cut the quarters into thin half-moons.
6. Use a vegetable peeler to remove the rough outer skin of the ginger. Carefully use the tip of a sharp knife to cut away and discard any spots that display dark or pale discoloration. Cut each rounded protuberance from the ginger; set these aside for another use. Cut across the trimmed center of the ginger to form coins. Stack the coins and cut across them to form matchsticks.

Roast the vegetables

1. Heat the oven to 450 degrees F.
2. Pour a thin stream of vegetable oil down the center of a rimmed baking sheet. Use a pastry brush to spread the oil in a thin layer across the sheet.
3. Scatter the cauliflower florets and the cut carrots across the oil on the sheet. Sprinkle the vegetables lightly with salt.
4. Transfer the baking sheet to the oven. Roast the vegetables until they are soft and fragrant, with a bit of char, approximately 25 - 30 minutes.

Prepare the curry

1. Pour a 10-count of vegetable oil into a heavy saute pan. Tilt the pan to coat it with the oil.
2. Add the cut ginger to the pan. Press the garlic cloves into the pan.
3. Turn the heat to medium and cook the ginger and garlic just until they start to blond, approximately 1 minute.
4. Carefully measure 1 tablespoon curry powder into the pan. Use a silicon spatula to stir the curry, ginger, and garlic into the oil until the oil is very fragrant. This will happen quickly; not more than a minute.
5. Add the onions to the curried oil in the pan. Stir the onions to coat them with the curried oil. Sprinkle the onion-curry mixture lightly with salt and replenish the oil sparingly if indicated. Cover the pan and cook the mixture on medium until the onions are soft; approximately 3 - 5 minutes.
6. Once the onions are soft, turn off the burner and let the curry sit, covered, until the vegetables are roasted.

Assemble the curry

1. Once the vegetables are nicely roasted, use oven mitts to safely remove the baking sheet from the oven. Turn off the oven.
2. Gently shake the baking sheet containing the vegetables to loosen the vegetables from the pan. They should come loose easily; safely slide a silicon spatula under any that don't to loosen those.
3. Remove the lid from the curry mixture. Gently transfer the roasted vegetables into the pan containing the curry. Once all of the vegetables are in the pan, add 1 teaspoon white vinegar to the mixture in the pan.
4. Use the silicon spatula to mix the curry together until well-incorporated. It should be very fragrant.
5. Safely taste a bit of the curry and adjust seasoning if warranted.
6. Turn off the heat and serve the curry over rice or as a side dish.

Note
If you wish, add 1/3 cup heavy cream to the curry just before adding the roasted vegetables. Omit the vinegar, and stir the curried cream sauce gently but thoroughly to incorporate before adding the roasted vegetables. Proceed and serve as above.