This is another recipe I stashed away during VeganMoFo and hadn’t had time to try yet. Since I’ve stopped getting my organic vegetable box, there are some vegetables that just don’t seem to find their way into my trolley, and cauliflower is one of them. I really like it but since giving up cheese the only way I ever eat it is in Indian food. Any other ideas for it, anyone? If you’ve read this blog before you’ll know that I’m a sucker for any kind of dal dish (and that I still haven’t decided how to spell it), so I was delighted to spot the two things combined in a very different looking dish to the one I’ve tried before.
Anyway, I’d never used French (or puy) lentils before in dal but I would do again. They are nice and earthy but they keep their shape nicely. The ginger and cardomom are both lovely with the lentils and the cauliflower. I would recommend that you add the lentils before the cauliflower is quite tender because it carries on cooking for a bit longer and mine was just on he edge of being a bit overcooked. It would definitely have been nicer with some fresh coriander too but I didn’t have any this time.
The rice is my favourite way to serve a simple Indian spiced brown rice which I think came from Jamie Oliver in Sainsbury’s magazine, but I grate some carrot in it for colour, sweetness and vitamins.
I’ve said before that one of my favourite combinations for a nice, filling, easy midweek meal is brown rice+spiced lentils+vegetable, and this dish is another one to add to my list of regulars.
Cooking the Vegan Books 
the only way i like cauliflower is in indian food as well! otherwise…meh. this looks very yummy! i like your idea for the rice.
Dal looks ok but could be dhal, though never dahl as one sometimes sees: he was a writer, though he did say that his father couldn’t spell Ronald!
How about cauliflower soup, cauliflower in mixed vegetable soup/stew, in stir-fries, or simply lightly steamed and drizzled (note familiarity with modern culinary terms!) with olive oil?
I have issues with the spelling of Dal, Daal, Dahl too….I’ve seen it used officially in all three ways!!
One of my favourite uses for Cauli is a raw Salad recipe.
The secret to this dish s to chop all the veggies up really small.
1/2 cup black olives, pitted
2 cups thinly sliced raw cauliflower (about half a small head)
1/3 cup green pepper, finely chopped
1/4 cup small sweet red pepper, finely chopped
3 tbsp onion, finely chopped
olive oil
Cider vinegar
crisp lettuce leaves
Combine with cauliflower, green and red peppers, onion and salt to taste.
Beat oil and vinegar together to make a dressing and sprinkle lightly over the salad. Refrigerate for 2-3 hours.
Just before serving, toss salad gently, then spoon into a nest of crisp lettuce leaves.
DELISH!!