RECIPE: Cauliflower Shawarma with Green Tahini and Red Cabbage Salad

This is the first Ottolenghi recipe I've made that wasn't delicious, but I suspect it was partially my fault, not the recipe.  I used 2.5# of frozen cauliflower and doubled the spice mixture, which wouldn't have been a problem if I didn't object so strongly to the allspice and cloves - flavors that aren't typical in shawarma seasoning, so I left them out below.  

In addition to that, rather than making the green tahini as written - with parsley, which I didn't have - I used the coriander chutney that I did have.  The tahini sauce had some bitterness so I will add more garlic and lemon and see if it improves.  

Finally, to add insult to injury, I misread the amount of tomato paste in the final seasoning, using 1T. instead of 1t., AND I cooked it too long which slightly burned the garlic.  I will remake that entirely when we reheat the leftovers.   

I do think it's a good recipe, except for the fact that, like all Ottolenghi recipes, it's labor intensive.  Make double - it's the same amount of work and you'll have days of leftovers!   The cabbage salad is delicious!

Original recipe: Ottolenghi Test Kitchen Extra Good Things page 97

Cauliflower Shawarma with Green Tahini and Red Cabbage Salad

Serves 4

INGREDIENTS:

• For the Cauliflower:
• 4 T olive oil
• 3/4 t. sweet smoked paprika
• 1/3 t. ground turmeric
• 1 t. cumin
• 1 t. ground coriander
• 1/2 t. ground cardamom
  
• 1/ 8 t. ground cinnamon
  
• 1 t. salt and a generous grind of black pepper
  
• 1 large cauliflower (2# 2oz) leaves and core removed and cut into bite size pieces (1# 9oz)
• 1 large onion, peeled and cut into 6 wedges ( cut mine into 8 wedges)
  
• For the Green Tahini:
• 1.5 c parsley, roughly chopped
• 1 garlic clove, peeled and roughly chopped
• 2 T. lemon juice
• 1/4 c. tahini
• 2.5 T. water
• 1/4 t. salt
  
• For the Cabbage Salad:
• 1/2 red cabbage (12oz), cored and then thinly sliced (3 cups)
• 1/2 small red onion, peeled, halved, and thinly sliced
• 2 T. lemon juice
• 1 t. salt
• For the final seasoning:
• 3 T. olive oil
• 4 garlic cloves, peeled and minced
• 1 teaspoon tomato paste
• 1/8 t. turmeric
• 1.5 T. lemon juice
• Garnish:
• 1/2 c. mint leaves, roughly torn
• 1 red chile, thinly sliced
• sliced green onions 
  

INSTRUCTIONS:

Marinate the cauliflower: Combine the oil, all the spices, the vinegar, salt and pepper in a large bowl.  Add the cauliflower florets and the onion and mix until well coated.  Set aside for at least 30 minutes or as long as overnight. 

Preheat your oven to 500F, or as high as it will go (I preheated mine to 450F convection.)

Make the green tahini: Put all the ingredients into a food processor and blitz for a couple of minutes until smooth, scraping down the sides a few times.  Transfer to a small bowl and set aside.  It will thicken as it sits, so add a splash more water if you want it thinner. 

Prepare the cabbage: combine all ingredients in a medium bowl. Use your hands to mix everything together.  Set aside to soften while you cook the cauliflower.

Cook the cauliflower: transfer the cauliflower mixture to a large ovenproof cast-iron pan (I used a stainless jelly roll/half sheet pan).  Roast for 12 minutes, give everything a stir, rotate the pan and return to the oven.  Roast for an additional 15 minutes or until the cauliflower is well charred and cooked through.  Because I used frozen cauliflower, mine was cooked through in only 10 minutes.  

While the cauliflower is cooking: Heat the oil for the final seasoning in a small pan over medium-high heat.  Add the garlic, tomato paste, and turmeric and cook for 90 seconds, stirring all the while until fragrant.  Stir in the 1.5 T. lemon juice and remove from the heat.  When the cauliflower comes out of the over, pour this over the cauliflower.   

Stir the mint into the cabbage and serve this and the green tahini alongside.   I also served rice.

Serve yourself cauliflower shawarma bar...

Cauliflower Shawarma reheated.