Curried coconut cauliflower bake recipe

This curried coconut cauliflower bake is an easy meal to rustle up mid-week for the whole family to enjoy. It has a warming taste with a hint of coconut which will leave you wanting more. This recipe will serve 4 adults and 1 baby - just make sure you give the cauliflower an extra mashing if you're serving to younger babies. If you decide to reheat this dish, cover with foil and bake for 20 mins in the oven, uncover and bake for a further 10 mins and serve.

Ingredients

• 1 whole cauliflower
• 150g quinoa

For the sauce:

• 2tbsps coconut oil (olive oil or butter can be used instead)
• 2tbsps coconut flour or plain wheat flour
• 1 can (400g) coconut milk
• 2tsps curry powder
• 1tsp garam masala

For the crumble topping:

• 1tsp cumin seeds
• 1tsp coriander seeds
• 100g cashews (see nut free option)
• 30g desiccated coconut

Method

1. Preheat your oven to 200°C / 180°C fan / Gas mark 6.
2. Finely chop the cauliflower into small bite size florets, then steam until just tender, about 15 minutes. Rinse the quinoa and cook at the same time in the boiling water underneath your steamer, as they take the same time to cook. (If you don’t have a steamer, simply boil the quinoa and cauliflower together in a large pan until cooked.)
3. Meanwhile make your curry sauce. Put the coconut oil and flour in a saucepan and gently heat stirring constantly until a paste is formed – this is called a ‘roux’ and will thicken your sauce. As soon as the paste forms, start to add the coconut milk, gradually stirring it in bit by bit. Make sure you keep stirring continuously to avoid any lumps. Once all the milk is added the sauce should begin to thicken. Stir in the curry powder and garam masala. (If it thickens too quickly, reduce the heat a little, and keep stirring over a low heat until it is smooth and custard like in consistency.)
4. Drain the cauliflower and quinoa and spread evenly in a baking dish approx. 30cm x 25cm x 5cm. Pour the sauce over the top and mix together carefully. At this point you can mash the cooked cauliflower a little more into the sauce if you prefer, which makes it easier for little ones to eat.
5. Finally make your crumble topping by crushing the cumin and coriander seeds until very fine in a pestle and mortar (powdered spices can be used alternatively). Then crush the cashew nuts until fine – either with the pestle and mortar or a food processor. Ensure the cashews are finely crushed, especially for younger babies. Mix the spice, nuts and desiccated coconut together, then sprinkle evenly over the top of your dish.
6. Bake for about 10 -15 minutes until the crumble is golden and it’s piping hot throughout.