Creamy Coconut Roast Cauliflower & Chickpea Curry

Even if you are new here, it’s no secret I love a good curry, and when I say love, I mean… I absolutely adore it.

They are one of my favourite dishes to not only make, but also to order when I have the pleasure of eating out.

There is just something so magical about how the process in which the spices are able to stand alone yet become perfectly harmonious with each other and all the additional ingredients on the plate. The techniques that are passed through generations and are personalised to each community really makes my heart sing.

It’s what got me excited about food as a young girl, and it’s what keeps me excited now.

Some curries can be quite complicated, from grinding and burning spices to layering their individual flavours, but this one is super simple. I’ve stripped it back to create something that you can quickly whip up, but also tastes like it took hours in the kitchen of blood, sweat, spice, and tears.

I’ve combined creamy coconut with a nutty roasted cauliflower and tasty fibre-packed grainy textured chickpeas for the ultimate feel-good-dish.

I absolutely love the spice mix here, that includes fragrant cardamom, warming cinnamon and fennel seeds, which can be reminiscent of a typical korma base, which is what inspired this dish–just with an added little pinch or two of spice.

But that is just my preference. The best thing about curries is they can be tailored to your spice levels of tolerance.

Many people are turned off curries, thinking they are going to be too spicy or overpowering for them, but there are some incredible and award-winning mild dishes out there. And the best part about making it yourself, means you are in control of what goes in. So, you can create the perfect balance every time!

But I am going to let you in to a little secret about how you can make every curry beautifully creamy and that is, of course, coconut milk. Probably not a well-kept secret, because it makes everything just a little creamier and a lot better!

I love serving this creamy curry with my gram flour flatbreads, which just adds another level of plant-based protein and becomes the perfect vehicle to scoop up all those delicious and fragrant juices. Then top it with fresh fragrant coriander leaves that have been torn and bruised to release all its wonderful aromas.

This dish, like I mentioned, is super simple. You can make it all in one pan–minus the roasting of the cauliflower, which we will get on to in a minute. Which means you can spend more time relaxing and enjoying yourself without having to worry about the mess in the kitchen.

By roasting the cauliflower you can extract out a more intense, richer and tastier flavour. This results in a super nutty base and charred crisped florets that bring a little balance of bitterness away from the sometimes overwhelmingly creamy profile coconut milk can add.

I always make extra portions when creating this recipe because the flavours are even better the next day once they have developed and infuse all the wonderful components, plus it freezes and keeps really well, making it the perfect meal-prepping dish.

Just portion out and freeze in jars or individual portions and thaw overnight in the fridge – it can be kept in the freezer for a few weeks.

It’s also super adaptable, meaning you can use up any leftover veggies in the fridge or swap out for your favourite ingredients.

If you can’t find gram flour, buckwheat works just as well.

You can use broccoli in replacement of your cauliflower or a combination of the two.

Use rocket or any other wilting baby leaf to fold through the flatbreads for an added veggie boost.

Add a swirl of coconut yoghurt or a drizzle of tahini dressing for extra creaminess and luxury.

Swap the chickpeas for butter beans, or another bean variant of your choice.

Enjoy!

Love, Niki xx