Courtesy of Chef Abhijit Dey
Ingredients
Cauliflower: 1 whole
Macadamia nuts: 300 g
Coconut cream: 1 litre
Miso paste: 50 g
Cauliflower: 150 g, purple/white
Pickled onion: 150 g, baby
Caster sugar: 180 g
White vinegar: 500 ml
Coriander: 50 g
Grape seed oil: 400 g
Leeks: 1 each
Button mushrooms: 50 g
Chickpeas: 100 g
Coriander powder: 50 g
Spinach powder: 50 g
Coconut oil: 100 ml
Water: 30 ml
Salt: 50 g
Spinach: 300 g
This is a simple and healthy plant-based vegan dish that can be easily made at home as the ingredients are easily accessible. The dish is representative of the philosophy of a movement with which chef Dey is involved. Food over Conflict looks to help the hardworking growers and vegetable producers from Aotearoa (New Zealand) and India.
Cut the cauliflower into discs or florets.
Boil the vinegar and sugar together until the sugar is totally dissolved. Add 30ml of water to thin the solution, add salt to taste. Make a brine of coriander oil and pickle liquid by whisking them together at a 50/50 ratio.
Brine the cauliflower inside the liquid for 10-15 hrs.
Take the cauliflower out and sear it in a pan with coconut oil and finish it inside the oven until soft (7 min approx.)
Heat up a saucepan with some oil and char all the pickled onion which should be sliced into 2cm thickness. Also, in the same way, sear the leeks and purple cauliflower florets until soft.
Deep fry some chickpeas at a high heat (180 degree centigrade).
Assemble the pickled onion, charred cauliflower, chickpea and leeks in an ovenproof dish and bake in the oven.
Use the pickle brine as a dressing.
Make the macadamia cream blended with coconut cream and miso until it is smooth.
For a garnish, slice the cauliflower florets with a mandolin and leave them in cold water to make them more crispy.
To make the spinach powder, blanch the spinach for 20 seconds and then refresh it in ice water. Dry it with the help of a paper towel and dehydrate it for a day, or leave it in direct sunlight for 2 days until it is dry (optional). Blend it with a blender until it becomes a powder and sprinkle it over the sliced florets.
To plate it, spoon the macadamia miso on the bottom and then place the seared cauliflower on top. Add cauliflower, leeks and onion mix on top. Lightly powder the shaved florets with some spinach powder and place everything delicately on top.
