Baked Curried Cauliflower Steaks (vegan)

Name: Baked Curried Cauliflower Steaks
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 30 min
Total time: 40 min
Ingredients: 1/2 head Cauliflower; 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; 100 grams Dairy-Free Yoghurt; 1 teaspoon Hemp Seeds; 1/4 teaspoon Chilli Flakes (optional); 1 bunch Fresh Coriander

May 29, 2019

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

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Prep Time 10 mins

Cook Time 30 mins

Total Time 40 mins

overhead close up of a baked curried cauliflower steak

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.

overhead photograph of curried cauliflower steaks with yoghurt in a bowl

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.

overhead photograph of plated curried cauliflower steaks

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.

overhead close up of baked curried cauliflower steaks

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!

overhead close up photograph of plated curried cauliflower steaks

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