Baked Curried Cauliflower Steaks (vegan)

These baked curried cauliflower steaks are spicy, flavoursome and perfectly caramelised. Serve with creamy non-dairy yoghurt for the perfect starter!

Prep Time 10 mins

10 mins

Cook Time 30 mins

Total Time 40 mins

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Guys guys GUYS! I am so excited to share this one with you. Why? Because we are making history on SLF, with my first ever Indian recipe!

Today I’m sharing a recipe for baked curried cauliflower steaks. This is not a traditional Indian recipe, nor is it a ‘mock meat’ recipe. What it is is warm, spicy, crispy and comforting, which pretty much covers the 4 main food groups when it comes to Indian food!

I have wanted to share Indian recipes on the blog for so long, but I have found it incredibly hard to make Indian food look appetising. Pizza? easy. Brownies? job done. But curry? You mean that orangey-brown soup? SO HARD TO PHOTOGRAPH. So I’m starting in the shallow end with these super photogenic baked cauliflower steaks. Because we like photogenic food.

Let’s talk spices.

If you don’t know already, I am Indian, so have grown up eating lots of tasty and flavoursome Gujarati food. Having watched my mum cook in the kitchen for many years, I have become pretty good with controlling spices, and often act on instinct rather than measurements (which can be a risky game with the chilli powder, let me tell you). Lucky for you, I have whipped out the old measuring spoons for this recipe, so if you are a newbie to using spices, you’ll be able to enjoy the same flavours I do! Also, what kind of recipe blogger would I be if I told you guys to ‘trust your gut with the turmeric‘?!

These are the Indian spices I used:

• Ground cumin and coriander. These two spices go hand in hand in our house. In most Gujarati kitchens you will find a spice box, and in said spice box will be an aromatic brown powdered spice. This is dhana jeera, which is a combination of ground cumin and coriander. And believe me, this spice makes food taste goood.
• Turmeric. You’ve probably heard of this spice since its all the rage on Instagram at the moment. Long before it’s insta-fame, turmeric has been used in Indian cooking for centuries, providing colour and flavour to many a dish (and many a white T-shirt!)
• Chilli powder. For that spicy kick! I used 1/4 teaspoon in this recipe, which provides a gentle spice kick in the back of the throat, but feel free to omit or even up the heat if you wish.

To the spicy marinade I also added: lime juice for extra tang, brown sugar to make the cauliflower steaks beautifully caramelised, and sunflower oil to allow the cauliflower steaks to crisp up.

Note that you will be able to find most of these spices in the supermarket. If not, you can visit your local Asian supermarket or check Amazon.

How to make cauliflower steaks:

What is a cauliflower steak, you ask? It is a large slice of cauliflower which is cooked until it is tender on the inside and super crispy on the outside. Which is the perfect inside/outside situation if you ask me.

To cut a cauliflower steak, you will need the biggest knife in your house. If your biggest knife is too small, consider using a saw. No seriously, it can be kinda difficult to cut the steaks. The trick is to be patient, and also leave the steaks pretty thick so you ensure you cut all the way down the cauliflower.

Next you will need to prepare the marinade and spread it onto the cauliflower slices using a brush or spoon. There’s no need to flip the steaks over, as the marinade will seep through.

I baked the cauliflower steaks in the oven for 30 minutes. This is to ensure that they are cooked all the way through. Plus, it allows gorgeous dark crispy bits to develop on the outside of the cauliflower. Those are my favourite, and I’m sure they’ll be yours too!

What to serve with cauliflower steaks?

I sprinkled my baked cauliflower steaks with fresh coriander, chilli flakes, and hemp seeds (which are in no way Indian, but I put hemp seeds on everything lol) I also served my steaks with some creamy dairy-free yoghurt. Yoghurt is another Indian household staple, as when you are eating lots of spicy food, you’re going to want something to cool yourself down!

I kept things pretty simple and served the baked curried cauliflower steaks alone as a starter. But these babies are easily turned into a main meal too! You could serve them with spicy chickpeas or atop a salad. You could even put one of these into a sandwich – now that would taste divine!

I hope you try this recipe! If you do, I’d love for you to tag me on Instagram @shivanilf so I can see how it goes. You can also keep updated with me on Facebook and Pinterest – I hope to see you there!

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5 from 6 votes

Baked Curried Cauliflower Steaks

These baked curried cauliflower steaks are spicy, flavoursome and perfectly caramelised. Serve with creamy non-dairy yoghurt for the perfect starter!

Prep Time10 mins

Cook Time30 mins

Total Time40 mins

Course: Appetizer

Cuisine: Indian

Servings: 2

Calories: 152kcal

Author: Shivani Raja

Ingredients

• 1/2 head Cauliflower

For the marinade:

• 1/4 Lime juiced
• 2 teaspoons Sunflower Oil
• 1/4 teaspoon Salt
• 1/8 teaspoon Ground Cumin
• 1/8 teaspoon Ground Coriander
• 1/4 teaspoon Turmeric
• 1/4 teaspoon Chilli Powder optional
• 1/2 teaspoon Brown Sugar

To serve:

• 100 grams Dairy-Free Yoghurt
• 1 teaspoon Hemp Seeds
• 1/4 teaspoon Chilli Flakes optional
• 1 bunch Fresh Coriander

Instructions

• Preheat the oven to 180 degrees. Line a baking tray with grease-proof paper.
• Using a large knife, remove the leaves from the cauliflower and cut it vertically into 1.5 cm thick slices. I got two large and two smaller ‘steaks’ from 1/2 a head of cauliflower. Add the steaks to the baking tray.
• Prepare the marinade by mixing together the lime juice, sunflower oil, sugar and spices in a small bowl. 
• Use a brush or spoon to spread the marinade onto the cauliflower slices. Spread it as evenly as you can. Don’t worry about flipping the steaks as the marinade will seep through.
  
• Bake the curried cauliflower steaks for 25-30 minutes. Remove from the oven once crispy and caramelised.
• Serve hot, sprinkled with chilli flakes, hemp seeds, fresh coriander and dairy-free yoghurt.

Shivani’s Tips

• Feel free to prepare the cauliflower steaks ahead of time and leave them in the fridge to marinate before baking. They’ll only taste more flavoursome!
• Leftovers can be stored in the fridge and reheated in the microwave. 

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