This curry recipe uses up the whole cauliflower – florets, stalk and leaves. I’ve been very keen on reducing food waste, and when using cauliflowers it seems that the leaves make up a lot of waste. Sure, they can go into the compost bin, but they’re perfectly edible so I’ve put them into this quick, fragrant and flavourful curry.
I love the smells of cooking a curry – the spices fill the house and make you yearn for dinnertime. It’s a meal that often seems unhealthy, but this vegetable-filled meal is rammed full of goodness, spices and a little hint of chilli. You can leave out the chilli for a mild, family-friendly curry, or add more to kick up the heat.
- 1 cauliflower (with leaves)
- 1 medium sweet potato
- 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
- 1 onion, peeled and chopped
- 3 cloves garlic, peeled and finely chopped
- 1 teaspoon garam masala
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1 teaspoon ground turmeric
- ⅛ – ½ teaspoon chilli powder (to taste)
- 1 tablespoon brown sugar
- 1 x 227g (15 oz) can of chopped tomatoes
- 1 x 227 g (15 oz) can of coconut milk
- salt and pepper
- Prepare the cauliflower by removing the leaves and washing them thoroughly. Chop the leaves as well as the thicker stems of the leaves. Wash the head of cauliflower and cut the florets into bite-sized pieces, as well as the thick stalk.
- Peel and chop the sweet potato into bite-sized pieces.
- Set the multicooker to ‘fry’ and add the oil. When hot, add the onion and fry for a few minutes until translucent. Add the garlic and fry for another minute. Add the garam masala, cumin, turmeric and chilli powder and fry for another minute.
- Switch the multicooker to ‘multicook’ and add all remaining ingredients and stir well. Close the lid and cook for 30 minutes. Check and adjust seasoning to your preferences.
- Serve with rice, chapatis or naan bread.
- In a frying pan on the hob, heat the oil then add the onion and fry for a few minutes until translucent. Add the garlic and fry for another minute. Add the garam masala, cumin, turmeric and chilli powder and fry for another minute.
- Transfer to the slow cooker, add remaining ingredients and cook on low for 4 hours or high for 2 hours. Check and adjust seasoning to your preferences.
- Serve with rice, chapattis or naan bread.
I’ve made this whole cauliflower curry in a REDMOND Multicooker, which is a rather fab gadget that can replace your slow cooker, rice cooker – it can even steam, boil, fry. The best way to describe it is as a fast slow cooker. You get all the benefits of slow cooking (full flavours, succulent foods – but in a fraction of the time due to the multicooker’s 360 degree heating. I seriously use it all the time.
It’s such a chore to turn on the oven in the summer – so I can use this machine to make everything from porridge and beans to cake and stews – all without heating up the kitchen. Don’t worry if you don’t have a multicooker, you can also make this recipe on the stove top (you’ll have to watch it) or in a slow cooker (it will take much longer).
You can read my full Redmond Multicooker reviews here and here.
I’m proud to be an ambassador for September’s Zero Waste Week, and this cauliflower curry recipe fits in perfectly with my pledge to eat ‘root to leaf’. Since making that pledge a few months ago, I’ve fully embraced reducing my compost waste by getting creative in the kitchen. From beet leaf salad to quick-pickled beet stems, I’ve loved discovering new ways to use edible parts of plants that are often discarded. Keep an eye on my blog for more ways to use up produce in its entirety – as well as on my Instagram.
Looking for more multicooker recipes? Try my others:
Carrot Cake Oatmeal with Pecans
Tuscan Ribollita (Bean Stew)
Farro and Chickpea Kale Stew
Disclosure: This post was commissioned by Redmond. I use a Redmond MRC-M4502E, which is currently available for approximately £98.
cheri says
April 13, 2016 at 3:16 amJust made this tonight using the entire yellow cauliflower head, followed the recipe except I used my La Cocotte on top of the stove and it took about 45 minutes to cook. It was superb and something I will make again and again. Thank you..
Kate Hackworthy says
April 13, 2016 at 12:27 pmI’m so pleased that you enjoyed it! 🙂
Lena says
January 17, 2016 at 8:09 pmHow would you recommend doing this recipe on a stove top? Sorry if I missed instructions in the post. I just have neither a multicooker nor a slow cooker.
Elizabeth says
September 12, 2015 at 9:14 amThis looks amazing! Thank you for sharing with the No Waste Food Challenge 🙂
Rosie @Eco-Gites of Lenault says
August 25, 2015 at 1:41 pmI adore cauliflower and always think that I should make more use of the stems … although they do not get wasted, here, as the pigs love them. #NoFoodWasteChallenge
Helen @Fuss Free Flavours says
August 23, 2015 at 2:12 pmI love cauliflower and this is such a good way of using it all up. Also love my Redmond!
soslik says
August 18, 2015 at 10:37 pmjust made this and it came out so bland 🙁 did you add any salt to yours? also its very watery is it supposed to be? i made it in the slow cooker
[email protected] says
August 18, 2015 at 1:54 pmI am a big fan of using every bit of an edible plant, nibbling broccoli stems while cooking the rest up too. This is a fabulous way to use the plethora of leaves that always wraps each cauliflower. You are a brilliant ambassador for Zero Waste. And damn am I jealous of your multicooker. My pressure cooker is scarily old and my slow cooker big enough to feed the street. How handy to have a useful gadget that covers so many cooking jobs.
Elizabeth says
August 18, 2015 at 8:42 amMmm yum! I had a simple cauliflower curry for my dinner last night. Such a great low cal veg to use in such dishes!
knattster says
August 17, 2015 at 8:53 pmMmmmm, great idea to use the leaves – that never would have occurred to me but I will give it a call.
Jess @ Along Came Cherry says
August 17, 2015 at 6:24 pmLooks amazing, I love curry and a great idea to use the leaves x
Jen @ Jen's Food says
August 17, 2015 at 5:41 pmI have to confess I am guilty of discarding my cauliflower leaves, I’ll definitely be using them next time I make a curry though. Thanks for sharing with #ExtraVeg
Dannii @ Hungry Healthy Happy says
August 17, 2015 at 4:25 pmThis looks delicious. I love adding sweet potato to curries, as not only does it make them more filling, but it adds a really nice texture too.
familyfriendsfoodblog says
August 17, 2015 at 3:55 pmThis looks delicious! I’ve been thinking about getting a slow cooker and now you’ve made me wonder if I should get a multicooker instead! Oh, decisions, decisions…
Margot⚓C&V (@coffeenvanilla) says
August 17, 2015 at 2:03 pmI’m loving this dish, healthy, summery and easy to make! Would make great lunch as well.
superfitbabe says
August 15, 2015 at 4:08 amLooks SO good <3 <3
Kate Hackworthy says
August 17, 2015 at 1:54 pmThanks! I hope you get a chance to try it 🙂
Rachelle Strauss says
August 14, 2015 at 2:15 pmOh my; that looks and sounds delicious and what a great way to use an entire cauliflower – thanks for sharing Kate, I’m totally inspired!
Kate Hackworthy says
August 17, 2015 at 1:46 pmThanks Rachelle! I’ve really been getting into the spirit of Zero Waste Week and have loved using up food, root to leaf.