Rukmini Iyer's quick and easy recipe for spiced roasted cauliflower with chickpeas, halloumi and lemony bulgur
An easy weeknight dinner, with enough for a lunchbox the next day, too. Chickpeas, halloumi and pomegranate are always a winning combination and were a constant on my summer table, but you'll add plant points and an autumnal touch with the lovely, baharat-spiced cauliflower and hearty, lemon-spiked bulgur wheat base.
If you don't have baharat, substitute with ras el hanout or a few generous tablespoons of rose harissa instead.
Prep 15 min
Cook 25 min
Serves 3
1 medium cauliflower, cut into medium florets, plus any young leaves400g tinned or jarred chickpeas, drained and rinsed1 red onion, peeled and cut into eight250g halloumi, cut into 2cm chunks2 garlic cloves, peeled and finely grated2 tbsp olive oil
2 heaped tsp baharat
1 tsp sea salt flakes
½ tsp caster sugar (optional)200g bulgur wheat
400ml hot vegetable stockJuice and finely grated zest of 1 lemon, plus 2 strips lemon zest2 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
Seeds of ½ pomegranate15g fresh mint, leaves picked
Heat the oven to 200C (180C fan)/390F/gas 6. Tip the cauliflower, cauliflower leaves, chickpeas, onion and halloumi into a large roasting tin, then mix in the garlic, olive oil, baharat, salt and sugar, if using. Transfer to the oven and roast for 25 minutes.
Meanwhile, tip the bulgur wheat into a medium roasting tin, top with the hot stock and strips of lemon zest, and cover tightly with foil. When there are 15 minutes left on the cauliflower, pop the bulgur wheat on a lower shelf in the oven.
Mix the lemon juice and grated lemon zest with the extra-virgin olive oil, then stir half of this through the bulgur wheat and drizzle the rest over the cauliflower.
Taste and add a little sea salt, if needed, then scatter the pomegranate and mint over the cauliflower, and serve with the bulgur wheat.
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