I've been a little out of sorts with food since I got here, bouncing between the joy of discovering Dutch cheese and yoghurt, and the frustrations of new stores, new ingredients, new pans, and a teeny tiny oven. I've ended up in a bit of a rut, mostly eating a number of variations on pastas and sandwiches that involve eggplant, zucchini, tomatoes, and basil - which is delicious, but rapidly loosing its charm.
So tonight I made curried cauliflower with potatoes and pomegranate, and it was wonderful. There's just something whimsical and decadent about pomegranates. They feel like such a treat.
1 (1 3/4-lb) head cauliflower, cut into 3/4-inch-wide florets
1 1/4 lb Yukon Gold potatoes, peeled and cut into 1/2-inch cubes
5 tablespoons vegetable oil
1/2 teaspoon cumin seeds
3/4 teaspoon salt
1 medium onion, finely chopped
2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
2 teaspoons minced fresh jalapeño, including seeds
2 teaspoons minced peeled fresh ginger
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon ground coriander
1/4 teaspoon turmeric
1/4 teaspoon cayenne
1/2 cup water
Accompaniment: lemon wedges, pomegranate seeds, greek yoghurt, cilantro
Put oven rack in upper third of oven and place a shallow baking pan on rack. Preheat oven to 475°F.
Toss cauliflower and potatoes together in a bowl with 3 tablespoons oil, cumin seeds, and 1/4 teaspoon salt. Spread in hot baking pan and roast, stirring occasionally, until cauliflower is tender and browned in spots and potatoes are just tender, about 20 minutes.
While vegetables are roasting, cook onion, garlic, jalapeño, and ginger in remaining 2 tablespoons oil in a 12-inch heavy skillet over moderate heat, stirring frequently, until very soft and beginning to turn golden, 8 to 10 minutes. Add ground cumin, coriander, turmeric, cayenne, and remaining 1/2 teaspoon salt and cook, stirring constantly, 2 minutes. Stir in water, scraping up any brown bits from bottom of skillet, then stir in roasted vegetables. Cook, covered, stirring occasionally, 5 minutes.
Top with a little lemon juice, the seeds of 1 pomegranate, plain yoghurt, and cilantro :)