Spice-Rubbed Cauliflower Steaks

These spice-rubbed cauliflower steaks with pistachio and cilantro gremolata combine the flavors of India with Priyanka Naik’s love for cauliflower. This plant-based dish comes from her cookbook, The Modern Tiffin, which highlights vegan Indian cooking combined with global influences. For these spice-rubbed cauliflower steaks, all you need is some patience and simple ingredients like cauliflower, pistachios, cilantro, tomatoes, and coconut (for the sides).

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The cauliflower steaks are spiced with a homemade blend of coriander seeds, peppercorns, and dried red chilies, which bring a smoky heat to the dish. The steaks are pan-seared until charred and tender. Alongside the steaks, roasted cauliflower leaves and onions add depth to the dish, complementing the spicy flavor.

The toppings elevate the dish even more. The pistachio cilantro gremolata adds crunch and brightness with fresh herbs and lemon zest. The tomato coconut koshumbri provides a refreshing contrast, offering sweetness from the coconut and a tangy edge from the fresh tomatoes and lemon juice. Together, these elements create a perfectly balanced dish that’s ideal for a hearty yet light vegan meal.

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Spice-rubbed cauliflower steaks

For a flavorful gluten-free dish, try these spice-rubbed cauliflower steaks. They're paired with a pistachio and cilantro gremolata as well as a tomato and coconut koshumbri.

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Servings2

Ingredients

For the cauliflower steaks

• 1 tsp coriander seeds
• 2 dried red chilies
• 1 tsp black peppercorns
• ¼ tsp kosher salt
• 1 small head cauliflower
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 1 tbsp neutral oil for cooking
• 1 medium yellow onion thinly sliced
• 2 cloves garlic minced

For the pistachio cilantro gremolata

• 2 tbsp unsalted pistachios coarsely chopped
• ¼ cup coarsely chopped fresh cilantro stems and all!
• 1 tbsp good quality olive oil
• ¼ tsp fresh lemon zest
• Pinch of kosher salt

For the tomato coconut koshumbri

• 1 roma tomato diced (juice and all)
• 1 Indian green chili minced (see Note)
• 2 tbsp grated fresh coconut
• ¼ wedge fresh lemon
• Pinch of kosher salt

Instructions

Make the spice blend for the cauliflower

• Using a mortar and pestle, coarsely grind together the coriander seeds, red chilies, peppercorns, and the ¼ teaspoon salt. Set aside.

Prepare the cauliflower

• Remove the leaves, but do not discard! We will be using them. Trim about 1/4 inch of the end of the stem. Set the cauliflower upright on your cutting board, and using a large chef’s knife, cut the first steak by cutting into the head about 1 inch. The end pieces may slightly fall apart, which is fine. You should get 2 to 3 fully intact “steaks.” Set those steaks flat on the cutting board.

Get rubbin’

• Drizzle the cauliflower steaks with the olive oil all over—front, back, top, and bottom. Using your hands, rub the ground spices all over the steaks, making sure to get into the nooks and crannies of the florets and all over. Rub any remaining spice mixture onto the cauliflower leaves.

Get cooking

• Set a large nonstick pan over medium-high heat. Add the neutral oil and, once hot, add the onion and garlic. Reduce the heat to medium and sauté for 3 to 4 minutes, until the onion becomes translucent and has sweated out its moisture and the garlic is golden.
• Carefully place each steak into the pan, being sure not to overcrowd. Cook each side for 10 to 15 minutes, until charred and fork-tender. While the steaks cook, add the cauliflower leaves, allowing them to cook alongside the onion. Add any small florets from the cutting board, as well.

Meanwhile make the gremolata and koshumbri

• In a small bowl, mix all the ingredients for the gremolata and set aside so all the flavors can seep in together. In another small bowl, mix together all the ingredients for the koshumbri, except for the salt. Adding the salt too early will let out all the moisture from the tomatoes and coconut, making the koshumbri too watery. Set aside.

Plate up

• On a serving platter or in your tiffin, lay down the charred cauliflower leaves and onion mixture first. Then carefully add the cauliflower steaks on top next to each other—if using a small tiffin/portable container, it is okay to break up your cauliflower into bite-size florets. Using a spoon, distribute some of the koshumbri across the cauliflower steaks and sprinkle a tiny pinch of kosher salt across the koshumbri.
• Finally, top off with the gremolata. A great aspect of this dish is that it actually tastes better when the components have sat together for a length of time, which means that if you’re on the go, these will taste even better later.

Green arbol chili peppers or serrano chili peppers can be substituted for Indian green chilies.

Excerpted from THE MODERN TIFFIN: On-the-Go Vegan Dishes with a Global Flair. Copyright @ 2024 by Priyanka Naik. Photography Copyright © 2024 by Melissa Hom. Reproduced by permission of Simon Element, an imprint of Simon & Schuster. All rights reserved.

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