This recipe was inspired by a raw cauliflower tabouleh I had a few months ago at a Melbourne café.

I never thought I would enjoy raw cauliflower, but when it was presented this way ~ where the florets are processed into tiny pieces so they resemble  cauliflower rice, and drizzled with a delicious dressing, I was sold.

Recipe

Serves ~ 2­–3 as a side | cooking time ~ 20 minutes | Dairy-free, Gluten-free, Vegan

Dressing

• 1 tsp cumin seeds
• 1 garlic clove, minced
• 2 tbsp cold-pressed extra virgin olive oil
• 1 tbsp freshly squeezed lemon juice, or to taste
• 1 tsp maple syrup or honey (optional)
• ½ tsp sea salt

Tabouleh

• ½  small­–medium cauliflower
• 1 tbsp apple cider vinegar, fermented & unpasteurised
• ¼ cup almonds, roasted
• 1 heaped tbsp dried cranberries, chopped
• ½ bunch coriander/ cilantro {leaves and stems}, roughly chopped
• sea salt, to season

First, make the dressing:

Lightly dry roast cumin in a fry pan over gentle heat until fragrant {about 3-5 minutes}. Shake the pan often, so the seeds don’t burn. Cool for a few minutes, then grind in a mortar and pestle.

Pour the ground cumin in a glass jar and add the remaining ingredients. Shake well and set aside for the flavours to marry while making the tabouleh.

Now make the tabouleh:

Roughly chop cauliflower into florets.

Either lightly steam florets for about 5 minutes, or keep raw.

Blitz florets in a food processor until it resembles tiny cous cous like grains. Tip into a salad bowl.

Add the apple cider vinegar to the cauliflower and thoroughly mix in it in. Let it stand for 5 minutes.

Next, process the roast almonds for a few seconds, or you can chop them. You want large chunky pieces. Tip into the salad bowl.

Mix in the remaining ingredients.

Dress and season to taste.

Variation

Don’t like fresh coriander ? Use flat-leaf parsley instead

Serving ideas

This tabouleh makes a delicious side dish, and pairs well with Middle-eastern and Indian flavours. It already has healthy fats from the nuts and dressing, and some carbohydrates from the cauliflower ~ all it needs is some protein to turn it into a complete and filling meal. To do that you can serve it with:

• a couple poached or soft-boiled eggs {preferably pastured & organic}
• grilled or pan-fried sustainable fish, such as Blue-eye trevella
• pan-fried haloumi
• roasted or grilled meats {preferably grass-fed & organic}
• crispy fried tempeh {for a vegan option}

Add some wholefood carbs if you feel you need more sustaining energy ~ such as roast sweet potato or quinoa.

Top it off with a sprinkling of dukkah for added deliciousness.

This recipe is from my ebook Nourished. You can get a copy of it here.