Indian Butter Cauliflower with Couscous

Mixing up the traditional Indian food with a vegetarian twist and side.

Butter chicken is typically made with a butter and heavy cream sauce. I’m lightening this up with cauliflower (but you can still use chicken if you prefer) and using coconut milk instead of heavy cream. I don’t think you can taste the coconut flavor, it just helps keep a creamy flavor. If you want to substitute to butter too, you can use coconut oil or I’ve been loving this plant based oil butter.

I really have no idea if this is how butter ‘chicken’ sauce should taste, but it tastes good to me. It’s not too spicy either, if you want more spice just add more cayenne pepper.

cauliflower in butter sauce with cooked couscous

I opted to use couscous instead of rice. I think it’s better for you than traditional white rice and it cooks faster than brown rice. Couscous isn’t Indian, so if you’re going with something more authentic as a side, choose regular rice.

dish with couscous and cauliflower in butter sauce

When I first went to an Indian restaurant it was recommended that I order butter chicken, and was described as flavorful and spicy but not too spicy. I ordered a vegetarian dish with rice instead, but the description stayed in my mind and I wanted to find some way to make it vegetarian.

Usually, I always use fresh vegetables. At my grocery store, the cauliflower suddenly spiked up in price and is now twice as much for one little bunch of cauliflower! This time I bought frozen. Which was way more convenient (no chopping) and less than half the price. It didn’t crisp up as good in the oven, but I didn’t mind with this dish.

I highly reccomend serving with samosas too!

Are you going to make Indian Butter Cauliflower with Couscous? Leave a comment with any questions or suggestions!

Indian Butter Cauliflower with Couscous

From north coast eats at https://northcoasteats.com/indian-butter-cauliflower-with-couscous/

https://northcoasteats.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/03/butter-0059.jpg

Yield: serves 4 people

Butter 'cauliflower' sauce lightened up with coconut milk and served with a side of couscous.

You'll Need...

Cauliflower marinade
1 head cauliflower, chopped
1/3 cup coconut milk
1 clove minced garlic
1 teaspoon fresh ginger, grated
1/4 teaspoon salt
Butter Sauce
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 small onion, diced
1 clove garlic, chopped
1 teaspoon fresh ginger, grated
2 teaspoons curry powder
1 1/2 teaspoons cumin powder
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1 teaspoon coriander
1/2 teaspoon turmeric
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper, or more if you like spicy
6 ounces tomato paste
1 can coconut milk, shaken
2 tablespoons butter, vegan butter, or coconut oil
2 cups cooked couscous (or rice)

Directions

Marinade the cauliflower: Add all marinade ingredients to a large zip block bag. Mix and let flavors absorb for 10 to 30 minutes.
Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and heat oven to 425 degrees. Cook cauliflower (with marinade juices) for 15 minutes, until soft and edges are crisp.
Make the sauce: Add olive oil to a large pan, heat over medium. Add onion and saute for 5 minutes. Add garlic and ginger, saute for 1 more minute. Add all spice (curry, cumin, pepper, coriander, turmeric, cayenne) and mix well. Pour in tomato paste and coconut milk. Stir and let sauce thicken, about 5 minutes. Stir in butter. Stir in cauliflower.
Serve with couscous on the side.