A minimalist in most areas of my life, except the food department. I love food and eating, and am on an adventure this year to eat better and healthier than ever before. As much as I love food, I am all for simplicity in the kitchen – I like simple recipes with simple, whole food ingredients. I’ll be posting a few of my favourites in the coming months, so stay tuned!
I will admit, I have never been a huge fan of cauliflower. In fact, I have only eaten it a handful of times in my adult life. That is until recently. A couple of years ago, a Lebanese restaurant specializing in vegan cuisine opened its doors around the corner from me. All of the food super tasty, but my favourite item on the menu is a cauliflower dish that goes by the name, “Najib’s Special.” Najib’s Special is essentially deep-fried cauliflower, tossed with a splash of lemon juice and a pinch of salt. Words cannot express how delish this cauliflower is, but the idea of eating deep-fried anything on a regular basis is a bit of a turn-off to me. So I decided to try another method, and pan-fried up some cauliflower in a little oil. And, although not quite as amazing as the original, my own take on Najib’s Special turned out pretty yummy. I highly recommend giving this recipe a try – not only is it delicious, it is truly minimalist, requiring only two ingredients!
Najib’s Special Cauliflower (inspired by Nuba‘s deep-fried version)
Najib's Special Crispy Cauliflower - photo courtesy of Sherman's Food Adventures
Ingredients:
- One small head of cauliflower or half of one large head of cauliflower
- 2 Tablespoons of vegetable oil (I like canola or olive oil)
- 2 teaspoons of freshly squeezed lemon juice – optional
- 1 pinch of salt – optional
- Add 1 Tablespoon of vegetable oil to frying pan, warming over medium heat.
- After about a minute, add freshly washed cauliflower to frying pan and toss to coat with oil.
- Allow cauliflower to cook for about 15 minutes, tossing every 1-2 minutes to ensure even distribution. Add second Tablespoon of oil about halfway through cooking time if you feel the cauliflower needs it.
- After cauliflower is suitable cooked and golden brown on all edges, remove from heat and transfer from frying pan to a bowl.
- Add lemon juice and salt to cooked cauliflower and toss to ensure even distribution (this step is optional as the cauliflower still tastes great without the lemon juice or salt!)
- Plate and enjoy! Delicious served with a side of tahini sauce (2 Tablespoons) – the tahini gives the cauliflower a lovely, smoky flavour.
mmm…yummy! I recently ate deep fried pickles for the first time and it was wonderful. I might have to try to make my own soon. Hopefully I will try the cauliflower first because it’s way healthier.
Funnily enough, I had been avoiding cauliflower as I was under the false impression that it had not much nutritional value. Turns out it is a great veggie with lots of cardiovascular and digestive benefits, and has tons of vitamins and antioxidant properties! So I’m now enjoying cauliflower weekly, and it’s guilt free!
I also began to love cauliflower when I had an Armenian dish of deep-fried cauliflower (very similar to the one you describe) cooked by my father-in-law years ago. I’ve taken to roasting my cauliflower in the oven and love how it caramelizes! You should totally try oven roasting it tossed in a little olive oil, I think it really adds a richness to the cauliflower! We also season with sumac (sort of a lemony flavored Middle Eastern spice) and red pepper, in addition to a little salt and a squeeze of lemon juice.
I will have to give roasting it in the oven a try! Yum!