How to make Moroccan inspired lentils with roasted cauliflower

Moroccan lentils with roasted cauliflower

A warming bowl of black beluga lentils cooked with tomatoes and a heady blend of North African spices. Topped with with golden cauliflower and almonds, this is the perfect plant-based dinner for a rainy spring evening.

1 cauliflower
1 tsp turmeric
2 tbsp oil
20g flaked almonds
2 garlic cloves
1 brown onion
180g cherry tomatoes
Large handful of fresh coriander
1 vegetable stock cube
240g black beluga lentils (drained)
23g Moorish Moroccan spice paste

Preheat the oven to 200C/gas mark 6 and boil a kettle.

We will use the whole cauliflower in cooking; remove and keep the leaves from the cauliflower, slice these in half lengthways. Cut the cauliflower head into 3cm florets. Finely dice the stalk.

In a large bowl, mix the turmeric with a pinch of sea salt and 1 tbsp oil. Place the cauliflower florets in the bowl and stir to coat in the turmeric. Place on a large baking tray in the oven for 20-25 mins. Halfway through cooking, turn the florets over and add the cauliflower leaves and flaked almonds to the baking tray, drizzle with ½ tbsp oil and place back in the oven.

Crush or finely chop the garlic. Dice the onion and halve the cherry tomatoes. Roughly chop the coriander leaves.

Dissolve the vegetable stock cube in a jug with 200ml boiling water. Drain and rinse the lentils.

Heat a medium-sized pan with ½ tbsp oil on a medium-high heat and cook the onion, diced cauliflower stalk and the garlic for 5 mins. Stir through the Moroccan paste and add the vegetable stock, lentils, cherry tomatoes and half the coriander. Simmer on a gentle heat for 10 mins until thickened.

Serve the lentils in two warm bowls and top with the turmeric florets, toasted flaked almonds and remaining coriander. Serve alongside the roasted cauliflower leaves.

Recipe from mindfulchef.com