Description
A vibrant and flavorful Spicy Cauliflower & Halloumi Rice dish featuring tender cauliflower and baby spinach cooked with fragrant spices and curry powder, combined with chewy halloumi cubes and nutty brown basmati rice, finished with a kick of fresh red chilli. Perfect for a satisfying vegetarian meal.
Ingredients
Scale
Vegetables & Cheese
- 1 small head cauliflower (500g), broken into medium florets
- 150g baby spinach
- 1 red onion, sliced
- 120g halloumi, cut into cubes
- 1 red chilli, finely sliced
- 1 garlic clove, crushed
- 1 thumb-sized piece ginger, finely grated
Spices & Oils
- 1 tbsp rapeseed oil
- 1 tsp ground turmeric
- 1 tbsp medium curry powder
Grains
- 2 x 250g pouches brown basmati rice
Instructions
- Cook the Cauliflower & Spinach: Bring a large pan of salted water to the boil. Add the cauliflower florets and cook over high heat for 5 minutes. For the last 2 minutes, add the baby spinach to the boiling water. Then drain the vegetables and set aside.
- Sauté the Onions: Heat the rapeseed oil in a large frying pan or shallow casserole dish over medium heat. Add the sliced red onion and fry for 5 minutes until softened and translucent.
- Cook the Halloumi: Increase the heat to medium-high, add the cubed halloumi to the pan, and cook for another 5 minutes, allowing the cheese to brown nicely on all sides.
- Add Aromatics and Spices: Stir in the crushed garlic, grated ginger, ground turmeric, and medium curry powder. Cook everything together for 1 minute to release the spices’ fragrance.
- Combine Rice and Vegetables: Add the brown basmati rice, cooked cauliflower, and spinach to the pan. Stir everything thoroughly to warm through. If the mixture looks dry, add 1 tablespoon of water to loosen it slightly.
- Season and Garnish: Season the dish to taste with salt and freshly ground black pepper. Scatter the finely sliced red chilli on top before serving to add fresh heat and color.
Notes
- The dish is vegetarian and packs a flavorful punch with the use of turmeric and curry powder.
- Using brown basmati rice provides a nuttier flavor and more fiber than white rice.
- Halloumi can be substituted with firm tofu for a vegan option.
- Adjust the amount of red chilli depending on your preferred spice level.
- Adding water when warming the rice helps to prevent the dish from drying out.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 15 minutes
- Category: Main Course
- Method: Frying
- Cuisine: Mediterranean
Keywords: spicy cauliflower rice, halloumi rice, curry rice, vegetarian rice dish, brown basmati rice recipe, healthy vegetarian dinner, easy rice recipe
