Lime & coriander cauliflower rice

Posted on May 31, 2019 Updated on May 31, 2019

National Vegetarian Week in May 2019 coincided with a new crop of cauliflower from one of our organic vegetable suppliers, so we thought it is best to share one of our best kept secrets. Cauliflower rice is a recipe which became a regular dish in our kitchen since 2015. We decided to share this at Riverside Real Food Roath Farmers’ Market two weeks ago for one of their community events. It is an easy and quick alternative to grain rice and a great additional side dish to your dinner table. It’s versatility also makes it the perfect addition to lunch boxes, picnics and barbeque tables.

This recipe is inspired by south American and Caribbean flavours. Think lots of lime, a bunch of coriander and a combination of caramelised onion and garlic. And did we say its vegan and gluten free?  Cauliflower is a wonderful vehicle of flavours and you can adjust this recipe to take other flavour notes. Other cauliflower dishes we love include the Greek steamed cauliflower salad in lemon and extra virgin olive oil, cauliflower base pizza and deep-fried cauliflower nuggets (the current vegan craze). 

Ingredients

• 1 large cauliflower head, grated
• 2 Tbsp. Extra Virgin Olive Oil
• 1 large onion, chopped
• 4-5 garlic cloves, minced
• 30g coriander, chopped
• Juice of two limes
• ½ tsp pepper
• 1-1.5tsp fine sea salt ff

Preparation

1. Heat the olive oil in a wide, non-stick pan. You will need your widest pan for this.
2. Add the finely chopped onion with a generous pinch of salt. Lower the heat and sauté for 10-15 minutes, until the onion slightly caramelises. Don’t forget to stir occasionally to make sure the onion browns evenly.
3. Cut the florets off the cauliflower and chop the stem into small chunks.
4. Grate the whole cauliflower to rice grains size. The easiest way to do this is through a food processor (pulse in batches to reach the grain like consistency). But you can also grate by hand on the large side of your grater.
5. Add the minced garlic to the onion stirring well and stir fry for another 2-3 minutes.
6. Increase the heat to medium, add the cauliflower in three batches, stirring well to coat the cauliflower grains with the oil and onion/garlic flavour.
7. After 10-15 minutes of stir frying add the lime juice and salt, stir quickly and thoroughly and remove from heat and cover.
8. Add the finely chopped coriander and freshly ground pepper.
9. Taste to check if you need more salt or lime.

Try making a masala cauliflower rice with a bit of chilli sauce and some chopped tomatoes. Or an Italian flavoured one with basil, garlic and parmesan. Yum!