Curried Cauliflower "Rice"

Happy 2014 everyone! I'm back from a warm and delicious escapade to Mexico. It was my second time to this wonderful country and once again it did not disappoint! I discovered a whole world of incredible foods- yes, there is so, so much more then just burritos and tacos :) I'll be sharing pictures from my trip and all the goodness that I ate soon! 

Anyway- it will have almost been a year of going vegan and I'm curious to see what the next twelve months have in stock for me.... One thing I know I'll keep making is cauliflower rice, a wonderful "invention" I kept coming across the blogosphere all throughout 2013. It is easy peasy, versatile and just as satisfying as "real" rice- if not better! 

All you need to do really is get a beautiful cauliflower- and if you want to make it even more fun, grab one of those orange or purple cauliflowers (often available at Farmers Markets).

Chop it in cute, small florets and dump them all in a food processor. Munch on a few if you'd like (I can't resist!) Pulse it a couple of times until you get a "rice-y" texture, like in the photo above. Just keep a close eye as you don't want to end up with mashed cauliflower!

Then, in a large pan, heat some olive oil (or whatever else it is you use- coconut oil, butter for the non vegans, etc... I grew up on a Mediterranean diet, so olive oil is part of my DNA :) ). Toss in lots of finely chopped onions, a little garlic if you please and let it sizzle while the smell starts to take over your kitchen (you know nothing beats the scent of onions & garlic frying up in a pan!). Once the onions become a nice golden colour, add the cauliflower, season with salt, curry spice (or whatever spices you like really!). Stir everything well and continue to cook at low-medium heat for another five minutes. I personally also add some nutritional yeast, which I've been sprinkling on all sorts of dishes lately ever since I've been reading about how rich it was in Vitamin Bs. 

But... in my opinion, the best part is in the last step: adding some freshly chopped herb to this whole thing. I used parsley, but cilantro works fine as well (or a mix of both, even better!). 

Recipe for Curried Cauliflower "Rice"

1 cauliflower head (do not be fooled- this will make a large amount!)

1 large onion, finely chopped

Chopped garlic (optional)

Curry spice

Salt

Olive Oil

A bunch of chopped parsley or cilantro

Nutritional Yeast (optional)

Wash the cauliflower head and chop into small florets. Be sure the florets are dry for the next steps (we don't want watery rice over here). Transfer the florets into a food processor and PULSE (which is usually turning the switch counter-clockwise!). Keep a close eye and stop once the texture becomes like rice. Over pulsing will turn this into a puree.

In a large pan, heat some olive oil. Add the onion and garlic and cook until golden. 

Lower heat and add the pulsed cauliflower. Season with the curry spice and salt (taste as you go). If you want to add nutritional yeast, this is the time to do it. Stir everything, cover with lid and continue cooking for another 4-5 minutes on low heat. 

The final step is to toss in a handful of fresh chopped herbs, mix it all together one last time and enjoy!