Roasted Cauliflower with Turmeric, Fenugreek & Mustard Seeds

Here's an incredibly tasty and gorgeous cauliflower dish that was part of our dinner last night.  It's not typically Asian in that the cauliflower is roasted.  We don't usually roast veggies in the East - we usually cook them to within an inch of their lives (except for Chinese-style veggies which always maintain the freshness of the produce).  This dish combines the flavors of Indian cooking with the technique of roasting vegetables that I learned here in NY - the resulting dish is a side that is tasty,  aromatic, tender and slightly crunchy on the outside!  This is a wonderful accompaniment to most any main dish. 


Ingredients
1 large cauliflower cut into florets 
3 tablespoons olive oil
1/2 teaspoon powdered turmeric 
1/2 teaspoon black mustard seeds
1/4 teaspoon fenugreek seeds
3 tablespoons water
Salt to taste
Freshly ground black pepper to taste
2 scallions - sliced for garnish


Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
Bring a large pot of water to a rolling boil.  Blanch the cauliflower for 2-3 minutes - remove from boiling water promptly so as not to overcook and transfer to a large bowl.

In a smaller bowl, combine the olive oil,  turmeric, mustard seeds,  fenugreek,  water, and salt.   Slowly pour this mixture over the blanched cauliflower.  Toss to coat the cauliflower as evenly as possible.  Transfer this to a large roasting pan and spread the cauliflower out so it is in a single layer.  Make sure it's not crowded in the pan - give it enough space and you'll be rewarded with beautifully crunchy, caramelized tender roasted awesomeness.  
  
Cook,  uncovered, until fork tender and slightly browned - about 25 minutes.   As you can see from my picture,  only some of the pieces were nicely browned which tells you how wonderfully uneven my old oven is!   Garnish with sliced scallions and freshly ground black pepper.   Servc and enjoy!


Serves 4 - 5
 (The following is copied from my previous blog post featuring the same dish)
FYI,  turmeric has been used in India for over 500 years and is known for its health benefits.  It is a natural liver de-toxifier,  powerful natural anti-inflammatory, aids in fat metabolism and weight management and has long been used in Chinese medicine as a treatment for depression.  Wow,  sounds too good to be true,  doesn't it?  And I even left out the more far-out claims about the benefits of this so-called "wonder spice".  All I know is it makes things taste good and I love the color it adds to various dishes.
- Auria

PS  If you cook this dish or even enjoy reading the recipe,  please leave a comment - I would love to know who (if anybody) is reading these! xo