Curry Roasted Cauliflower

© 2009 Miri Rotkovitz

Moroccan Food Guide Christine Benlafquih recently polled readers to find out How Precisely Do You Measure Spices?. I wasn't sure how to answer at first. If I'm baking, I'm quite careful to measure ingredients precisely, because baking success relies so much on food chemistry. If I'm trying a new recipe, I'll measure as well, because I don't think it's really possible to evaluate a recipe without following it as it's written. And if I'm developing, testing, or writing a recipe, I'll definitely measure precisely, because I want whoever follows that recipe to have the best shot at a delicious result. But like many of those who responded to the poll, I don't tend to measure much when I'm doing everyday cooking -- I just play around until whatever I'm making looks/smells/tastes right.

Usually I'm happy with my improvisational nature in the kitchen. But sometimes I get frustrated, because I'll hit on a great recipe, but won't be able to recreate it, or I'll have an idea that seems to elude execution. I had some great curried cauliflower while visiting the Berkshires a few years ago, and despite countless efforts, I just couldn't seem to figure out how to make it. Then Benlafquih's spice measuring poll inspired me to get out the measuring spoons and approach things more systematically. This Curry Roasted Cauliflower is the happy result. Lighter than the cream-laden recipe that inspired it, this cauliflower gets its complex flavor from roasting-induced caramelization, and just the right amount of curry powder. From now on, I'll always know how to spice this dish right. And I couldn't have done it without my measuring spoons.