Roast Cauliflower with Cauliflower Kimchi Recipe

A vegan dish which celebrates every part of the cauliflower , Rishim Sachdeva's recipe includes a charred floret, caramelised purée made from the stem and kimchi from the leaves and stalks. Topped with tangy pickled raisins , it's an absolute knockout.

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Ingredients

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1 large cauliflower
vegetable oil, for frying
sorrel leaves, ideally red-veined

Kimchi

1 handful of cauliflower leaves
salt, as needed
1 pinch of yellow mustard seeds, large

Pickled raisins

100g of raisins, soaked in warm water for 30 minutes
1 tbsp of white vinegar
1 tsp caster sugar
1 pinch of salt

Coriander oil

100g of coriander
100ml of vegetable oil

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Begin by making the kimchi, as this needs 2 weeks to ferment. You need a big handful of cauliflower leaves and can make as much or as little as you like. Strip the leaves from the stems and roughly slice them, then set aside

1 handful of cauliflower leaves

Slice the cauliflower stems into 1cm pieces. Weigh the stems and leaves, then work out 2% of that weight and add that amount of salt. So for example, if you had 100g of cauliflower leaves and stems, you would add 2g of salt

salt, as needed

Add a large pinch of yellow mustard seeds to the mixture, then massage everything together with your hands. Transfer the kimchi to a sterilised jar and seal, then leave to ferment for 10-14 days at room temperature. Open the jar every few days to allow the built-up gas to escape. It will begin to turn from bright green to yellow as it ferments

1 pinch of yellow mustard seeds, large

Once your kimchi is ready, it’s time to make the other elements of the dish. Begin with the coriander oil. Place the coriander and vegetable oil into a blender and blitz for 5 minutes, until completely smooth and green. Pour the mixture into a pan and bring to the boil – as soon as it starts to bubble, remove from the heat and allow to cool slightly. Set a sieve over a bowl and line the sieve with a piece of muslin (or a j-cloth), then carefully pour the hot oil into it and set aside to strain

100g of coriander
100ml of vegetable oil

To make the pickled raisins, drain the raisins then gently cook them in a pan with the vinegar, salt, sugar and any spices you like until warmed through and they have soaked up the vinegar. Set aside. Rishim also says you can add whatever spices you like to the raisins to add a different flavour

100g of raisins, soaked in warm water for 30 minutes
1 tbsp of white vinegar
1 tsp caster sugar
1 pinch of salt

Take the cauliflower and strip away the leaves – these can be used to make another batch of kimchi. Remove the florets from the stem in 4 large pieces, then set aside. Coarsely grate the stem then place in a saucepan with a drizzle of vegetable oil and a pinch of salt. Place the pan over a low heat and gently caramelise the grated stem for 25-30 minutes, stirring regularly, until dark golden brown

1 large cauliflower
vegetable oil, for frying

Once golden, transfer the grated stem to a blender and blitz until smooth, adding a splash of water if needed. Season to taste with salt

Preheat an oven to 180°C/gas mark 4. Take a spoonful of the purée (reserving the rest for later) and add a splash of the liquid from your cauliflower kimchi, then mix them together. Use this to coat the cauliflower florets, then drizzle them with oil and roast in the oven for 10 minutes

Light a barbecue of place a griddle pan over a very high heat. Transfer the roasted cauliflower florets to the barbecue or pan and cook for 5-10 minutes, until charred and lightly blackened all over

To serve, add a spoonful of the purée to the base of each dish and top with a piece of cauliflower. Sprinkle over some pickled raisins, then add a spoonful of kimchi and a drizzle of coriander oil. Garnish with sorrel leaves

sorrel leaves, ideally red-veined

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Rishim Sachdeva

After years spent in modern European kitchens, in 2019 Rishim Sachdeva decided to start cooking plant-based food – and he hasn’t looked back since.

Roast cauliflower with cauliflower kimchi and pickled raisins

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