Cauliflower Salad with Turmeric & Currants

Preheat oven to 180°C. If you don't have leftover cooked brown rice, you will need to cook 1/2 a cup. Bring a pot of salted water to the boil, add the rice and cook uncovered for 15 mins or until al dente. You want to keep some bite to the grains. Drain, rinse in cold water and set aside to cool and dry.

Cut the cauliflower into bite-sized florets, about 4-5 cm. Put into a very large bowl with 2 tablespoons of olive oil, a generous pinch of salt, lots of black pepper and the ground turmeric. Toss to coat well. Spread the cauliflower onto a baking tray and roast in the oven for 20-30 minutes, until the cauliflower is tender and a little charred on the edges. Set aside to cool.

Put the brown rice and currants into the same big bowl that the cauliflower was seasoned in. Add the remaining 2 tablespoons of olive oil, the red wine vinegar and season generously with salt and pepper. Using a microplane or the fine side of a box grater, zest the orange, mince the garlic clove, and grate the ginger, all directly into the rice. Squeeze the orange juice over the rice and set aside. The marinade at the bottom of the bowl will become your salad dressing.

In a small baking tray, put the sunflower seeds, add a few drops of oil and mix well. Season very generously with salt, pepper and chilli flakes, if using, and mix again. Toast in the oven for 5-7 minutes, until seeds are lightly browned. Put a timer on so you don’t burn your seeds! Take them out of the oven and allow them to cool.

Once the cauliflower has cooled, add it to the brown rice and gently mix to coat with the dressing at the bottom of the bowl. Add chopped parsley, rocket, and sunflower seeds and gently mix again. Taste for seasoning and add more salt, pepper, or extra red wine vinegar if needed. Gently pile the salad onto a flat platter and serve.