Ingredients

Chicken coconut curry:

3 chicken breasts (600g), cut into 2cm cubes

1/2 teaspoon cumin

1 1/2 teaspoons Kashmiri chili powder, divided

1 3/4 teaspoons fine sea salt, divided

2 tablespoons coconut oil, divided

1 teaspoon black mustard seeds

1 large yellow onion, diced

3 large cloves garlic, minced

2 cm piece of ginger, peeled and minced

1 1/2 teaspoons garam masala

1/2 teaspoon ground turmeric

2 bay leaves

1 398ml can of diced tomatoes and juices

1 398ml can of unsweetened coconut milk

1 cinnamon stick

Cauliflower

2 large cauliflower heads (stem removed)

1 1/2 teaspoons sea salt

1/4 cup olive oil

6 cloves garlic, thinly sliced

1 cup panko bread crumbs

3/4 cup packed fresh flat-leaf parsley, finely chopped, plus more for garnish

Cooked rice or any flat bread for soaking up the curry

Directions

1. Place the chicken cubes and 1/2 teaspoon cumin, 1/2 teaspoon chili powder and 3/4 teaspoon salt in a bowl and mix to combine. Refrigerate and let marinate for at least 30 minutes up to 24 hours. The longer you let it marinate, the more time the salt has to diffuse and flavour meat from within.

2. In a large pot of Dutch oven, bring water to a boil over high heat. Placing the cauliflower on its stem, slice the cauliflower into 3 cm slices. Only the two or three slices near the core will hold and these will be the "cauliflower steaks" we will use, the other slices might fall apart in florets, save for another use or simply roast on a baking sheet at the same time.

3. Add 1 teaspoon of salt to the water once boiling. Add the cauliflower steak slices and boil for 2.5 minutes. Drain and set the slices aside to cool in a colander.

4. In the same pot or Dutch oven, heat up 1 tablespoon of coconut oil over medium heat. Add the chicken, lay the pieces in a layer on the pot and do not disturb for 3 minutes so that it can brown. Then mix until the pieces are no longer pink for 2-3 more minutes and empty the contents into a bowl. The chicken should not be fully cooked as we will return it to the curry at a later stage so it doesn’t dry out. 

5. Add 1 tablespoon of coconut oil to the pot and add the mustard seeds, they will pop and crackle, cook for 2-3 minutes. Add the onion and sauté for another 5-10 minutes until soft and translucent. Add the garlic, ginger, garam masala, chili powder, turmeric, bay leaves, and remaining 1 teaspoon of salt. Cook for 2 minutes more, stirring so it doesn’t burn. Discard the bay leaves and add the tomatoes, coconut milk, about 1/4 cup of water, and the cinnamon stick. Mix well and simmer for 20 minutes, removing the cinnamon stick after 5 minutes. When the curry is almost done, with about 5 minutes left, add in the chicken to cook through until it reaches 165F. 

6. Preheat the oven to 450F. Line a baking tray with parchment paper and place the cooled cauliflower slices on it. Prepare the garlic oil by heating 1/4 cup of olive oil in a small saucepan over medium heat. Add the garlic slices and stir for 5-7 minutes. Once the garlic is starting to crisp up and turn brown, remove from heat and use a fine mesh sieve to separate the garlic oil from the garlic chips. Use a brush to paint both sides of the cauliflower with the garlic oil. Roast for about 25 minutes until the cauliflower is browned.

7. In a small bowl combine the panko, parsley, 1/2 teaspoon salt and the remaining garlic oil.

8. When the cauliflower is done spread the panko mixture on top of the cauliflower slices. Turn the oven to broil and place the sheet 4-6 inches from the burners and broil until the panko mixture is golden and sizzling, about 3-5 minutes depending on the strength of your broiler, check frequently to avoid burning.

9. To serve, ladle the curry into shallow bowls with rice, if using, and add a cauliflower slice to each bowl. Top with a sprinkle of garlic cloves and some parsley leaves for garnish.