Happy Friday lazy green people!
Now, this might sound a little odd; but I think the cauliflower might just have replaced my Friday night treat of Indian takeaway and a bag of crisps (not necessarily consumed together I might add…). previously, I’ve associated this classic vegetable with the staple roast dinner dish: cauliflower cheese. But since going vegan, I have long lost hope of recreating a dairy free version, as Vegan cheeses and cheese sauces generally don’t float my boat!
But when, this week, a friend offered me a cauliflower that she wasn’t going to eat (a perfect example of zero waste sharing!), I decided to make a nice big curry with it in advance of a Friday night in. This way I could save money on takeaway AND the plastic they are often delivered in.
What a cheerily good solution to a friend’s unwanted veg, an impending overdraft limit and an already bursting cupboard of past takeaway tubs! I even shredded the leaves and threw them in to add some greenery; feeling smug for throwing together the most waste free, healthy curry ever. That was, until I was left with the hard stubby bit…
I have learnt in the past that the hard stalks of broccoli taste awesome when roasted in the oven with a bit of oil and garlic, but I have since discovered that the cauliflower stalk takes this to another level.
With the leftover stalk, I sliced it as thin as I could into disks, and drizzled them with chilli oil and black pepper. I then roasted them in the oven for about 30 minutes until they were really crispy. Once out of the oven I sprinkled sea salt on them and left to cool.
I must admit, I had all intentions of putting them aside as a treat for tonight after my curry. But after trying one (just to make sure they were OK, obviously…) I ate the lot! They were really crispy and delicious, and they felt more filling than normal crisps so I didn’t need a whole bowl of them.
Now all I need to do is make a new batch ready for tonight, and treat myself to a nice large glass of wine (ethically sourced of course) ready for the last two days of Zero Waste Week!
Fantastic! I use up all the broccoli in soup but had never heard to do this with the stalks – I LOVE cauli curry so will be trying your treat – thanks so much for the inspiration – yet again! I’m feeling like a broken record this week!
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Thanks Rae, I’m just glad I have some idea people might find useful. Everyone so far this week has had so many ideas its blown my mind, so many fantastic posts! Thanks for your encouragement too, it really helps keep me motivated!
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Cauli and chickpea curry is a firm favourite of mine but I have never thought about roasting the stalks, they usually just get chucked in the composter, I am definitely going to give this a try with my next cauli – thank you for the great tip.
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Thanks, I hope you enjoy them as much as I did! I’m starting to think that a drizzle of oil and and 30 minutes in the oven might turn almost any leftover part of a vegetable into a potential snack!
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I recognise that cauliflower! 🙂 xxx
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Reblogged this on Green Lizard's Blog.
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Wonderful idea! It is great when you try to use 100% of what you eat! Great job!
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