CREAMY PAPRIKA CASHEW MAYO & ROASTED CAULI, CELERY AND CHERRY TOMATOES WITH WILD RICE
This recipe is a moreish creation I whipped up while on a trip to Switzerland house sitting for a friend of mine. After 4 days in a hotel and eating (delicious but rich!) hotel food, I was ready and itching to cook my own. I found the ingredients for this recipe in my friend’s (admittedly) well stocked kitchen. With instructions to use up the veggies in the fridge, I turned them into a packed lunch for our trip home. Sometimes I find the best ideas come from being away from the kitchen and our normal everyday routine!
This is a great dish for Autumn - turning what for some can be a Vata aggravating vegetable - the cauliflower - into something more balanced for the season by roasting the cauliflower in ghee and serving with an unctuous, lightly spiced and heavy dip. Vata and Pitta types would do best to choose a mild smoked paprika, Kapha types can afford to add some hot smoked paprika and to really thin out the sauce to make it light and more of a drizzle.
Basmati rice works for all doshas and with the addition of a little wild rice, which happened to be part of the rice mix (I used M&S), added an interesting texture plus some contrast to just white veg teamed with a white grain. Grab that leftover celery and the last of the summer tomatoes rolling around in your fridge to add a splash of colour along with the bright pinky peach dip coloured by the smoked paprika. The addition of cashews adds protein but you can also team this dish with some further protein if you find you need some more.
INGREDIENTS
Serves 3-5
3/4 cup/85g cashews, soaked in advance
¼-1/2 cup water
2 tbsp lemon juice
2 tbsp avocado oil or mild extra virgin olive oil
1/4 tsp sea salt
2 tsp maple syrup, to taste
½ - 1 tsp smoked paprika*, to taste (sweet or plain smoked)
ROASTED CAULI, CELERY AND CHERRY TOMATOES WITH WILD RICE
INGREDIENTS
Serves 2
1 cauliflower
3 sticks of celery
Large handful of cherry tomatoes
100g basmati and wild rice mix, the packet I used was a ratio of 15% wild rice to 85% wild so 15g to 85g basmati
Ghee of your favourite cooking oil for roasting
Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
Optional garnish: black sesame seeds
METHOD
Soak the cashew overnight in room temperature water, or an 1 hour before blending using just freshly boiled water.
Carefully drain and rinse the cashews and add to a high speed blender with ¼ cup of water and the rest of the ingredients.
Blend on high speed until creamy and smooth, adding a dash more water if needed to aid blending and/or for a more pourable consistency. Stop every now and then to scrape down the sides as you go, to make sure everything is fully combined.
Be sure to stop to taste and adjust seasonings and consistency if necessary.
Serve immediately or transfer to a clean jar with a secure lid and store in the fridge for up to 5 days. Do not double dip!
METHOD
Preheat the oven to 180C.
Wash and chop the cauliflower into 1.5 inch equal chunks and slice the celery into 2 inch lengths.
Add to a large baking tray, the full width of your oven so that the vegetables have enough space to roast.
Add the tomatoes, ghee and season lightly with salt and pepper.
Place in the oven for 10 mins then remove from the oven, gently toss the vegetables in the melted ghee and place back in the oven to roast for another 10 mins until tender and the edges become soft and caramelised.
Meanwhile, cook the rice according to the instructions on the packet (this should approximately take 18 mins, but they will cook a little faster if soaked first) then toss with the vegetables in the tray.
Serve the creamy cashew paprika mayo drizzled or dolloped even adding some black sesame seeds if you like for an extra crunch.
