Golden cauliflower on green herb yogurt
myAudience · AI-generated food illustration · Original AI-generated illustration; no third-party photograph
Put the cool sauce beneath the hot cauliflower and the two stay themselves for a moment: browned florets above, green yogurt below. Pomegranate brings sharp little bursts, but it is the contrast of roasted vegetable and fresh herbs that makes this a dish worth repeating.
For 4 side portions, use 1 medium cauliflower, about 800g before trimming; 2 tablespoons olive oil; ½ teaspoon ground turmeric; ½ teaspoon ground coriander; ¼ teaspoon fine salt; 200g thick plain yogurt; 15g parsley; 10g mint leaves; 1 tablespoon lemon juice; 20g flaked almonds; and 3 tablespoons pomegranate arils. This contains milk and almonds.
Heat the oven to 220°C conventional/200°C fan. Break the cauliflower into similarly sized florets and slice larger stems so they cook evenly. Toss with oil, turmeric, coriander and salt. Spread across a tray with space between pieces, then roast for 25–35 minutes, turning after 20 minutes, until browned and tender when pierced.
Finely chop the herbs and stir into the yogurt with lemon juice; or blend briefly for a smooth green sauce. Keep chilled until serving. Toast the almonds in a dry pan over medium heat for 2–3 minutes, watching closely. Spoon the yogurt onto a serving plate, add the hot cauliflower and finish with the almonds and pomegranate.
Allow about 45 minutes. Serve with flatbread or as part of a spread with lentils. If assembling ahead, store the sauce and cauliflower separately; cooling the vegetable before boxing helps avoid condensation. Refrigerate within 2 hours and use within 48 hours. Reheat the cauliflower once until steaming hot, then add it to freshly spooned cold sauce.