I must admit that although I’m a veggie girl, cauliflower has never been among my favourites. That is until I recently tried a sticky Vietnamese style version at my local restaurant. The cauliflower was almost like a slab of meat acting as a host to soak up all these glorious flavours. I failed to convince the chef (on this occasion!) to part with his recipe so I’ve created my own version with a Japanese twist.
This recipe has you slathering a whole head of cauliflower in a sweet and tangy miso marinade and roasting it at a high temperature. The result is an amazingly delicious dish that’s as dramatic in presentation as it is easy in preparation.
Recipe
1 head of cauliflower, stalk trimmed to sit flat
good drizzle vegetable oil
3 tbsps sake
3 tbsps mirin
1/3 cup miso paste (I used white miso)
3 tbsps brown sugar
3 tsps sesame oil
Fresh chillies, toasted sesame seeds for garnish
Preheat oven to 200°C. Bring a pot ¾ full of salted water (or chicken stock) and large enough to fit cauliflower to the boil. Add cauliflower and cook for 5-10 minutes or until a skewer goes in easily. Remove carefully and place into a small roasting dish.
While the cauliflower boils, combine the sake and mirin in a small saucepan over a medium heat. Whisk in the miso paste (be patient, it will eventually blend) and then stir in the sugar until dissolved. Remove from heat and stir in sesame oil. Pour the miso glaze over the cauliflower and roast for 30 minutes or so – baste as you go and cover with foil if it gets too dark. Garnish with fresh chilli, toasted sesame seeds and Japanese mayonnaise if you’re feeling evil! Cut into slabs and serve warm.
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