Issue link: https://maltatoday.uberflip.com/i/248536
37 maltatoday, SUNDAY, 26 JANUARY 2014 maltatoday, SUNDAY, 22 MAY 2011 FINE FOOD OF THE WEEK Nutritious, fat-free flowers Cauliflower January is a month of saving pennies and getting onto a healthier diet, which includes more vegetables. Highly nutritious, cauliflower is an ideal addition to a healthier lifestyle on the cheap. All cruciferous vegetables provide integrated nourishment across a wide variety of nutritional categories and provide broad support across a wide variety of body systems as well. The milk, sweet, almost nutty flavor of cauliflower is at its best from December through March when it is in season and most plentiful in local markets. Though cauliflower available in Malta is only of the white variety a number of others exist, including a purple variety that is packed with the same antioxidants present in red cabbage and red wine, a green variety also known as broccoflower and an orange variety that came from a natural mutant field in Canada. Cauliflower traces its ancestry to the wild cabbage, a plant thought to have originated in ancient Asia, which resembled kale or collards more than the vegetable that we now know it to be. The cauliflower went through many transformations and reappeared in the Mediterranean region, where it has been an important vegetable in Turkey and Italy since at least 600 B.C. It gained popularity in France in the mid-16th century and was subsequently cultivated in Northern Europe and the British Isles. The vegetable is often overlooked because of its bland flavour, however this is only the result of unimaginative cooking and overcooking the vegetable until it becomes waterlogged, mushy and tasteless. A highly nutritious vegetable, cauliflower is low in fat and carbs but high in dietary fibre, water and vitamin C as well as containing a high nutritional density. Cauliflower has been known to repair DNA and slow the growth of cancer cells. Though it is only white cauliflowers that are available in Malta, there are also purple, green and orange varieties Cauliflowers are highly nutritious yet low in calories and fat making them an ideal ingredient in January Cooking however reduces these compounds with losses of 20-30% after five minutes, 40-50% after 10 minutes and 75% after 30 minutes. Raw cauliflower is firm yet a bit spongy in texture. It has a slightly sulfurous and faintly bitter flavour. Cooked well, it can be used as a good substitute for potatoes without the associated calories. Cauliflower florets are the part of the plant that most people eat. However, the stem and leaves are edible too and are especially good for adding to soup stocks. Cauliflower contains phytonutrients that release odorous sulfur compounds when heated. These odors become stronger with increased cooking time. If you want to minimise odor, retain the vegetable's crisp texture, and reduce nutrient loss, cook the cauliflower for only a short time. Add a dash of lemon juice to the water to prevent discolouration of the cauliflower while cooking. Because of its shape and taste, cauliflower florets make wonderful crudite for dipping in sauces and a healthier alternative to galetti. RECIPE OF THE WEEK Cauliflower and potato curry Serves 6 Ingredients • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • 1smallcompactcauliflower,cutintobite-sizedflorets 3newpotatoes,quarteredwithskinlefton 3largeclovesgarlic,chopped 1largeonion,chopped 1tbspturmeric 1tbspcuminseed 1tbspgrainymustard 1tbspgratedginger 1tbspnigellaseeds(optional) 1tbspgoodqualitycurry 1tbspgratedcoconut 2tbspraisins 2tbspcashewnuts ½cupvegetablestock Pinchofsalt 1tbspvegetableoil 1. Lightly steam the cauliflower and potatoes until just done. 2. Fry the onion and garlic until they start to brown at the edges. 3. Addalltheotheringredients(exceptforthestock)andstirforacouple of minutes. 4. Meanwhile drain the vegetables and add to the frying pan. 5. Stir gently adding the stock to loosen slightly, the curry should be dry but well coated. 6. Serve with plain boiled basmati rice or naan bread. PHOTOGRAPHY BY RAY ATTARD Method