Are you a convert to cauliflower? And before you answer that, dismiss all thoughts of the mushy florets you might remember from your school days, because this vegetable has had a serious makeover.
From cauliflower rice to seared cauli steaks, roasted cauliflower popcorn and cruciferous pizza bases, you may well have already noticed that restaurants, cafes and cookbook authors have been utilising the ingredient like never before.
Understand the appeal
Cauliflower happens to tick more than a few of the boxes that characterise eating in 2019: it's gluten-free, low in calories and carbs, and also works well as a meat substitute. In addition, the vegetable offers a hefty dose of fibre, it's inexpensive, quick to cook and is versatile. While cauliflower's mild taste and pallid colour once worked against it, with the vegetable dismissed as boring, now this mellowness is considered to be a bonus – cauliflower takes on the flavour of other ingredients and doesn't really change their overall taste.
How you can use it
There are myriad ways to utilise the vegetable in cooking, with one of the most common being as a low-carb alternative to rice or couscous. All you need to do is blitz the florets in a blender to create small, grain-like pieces, then microwave, saute or roast that in the oven, and serve it with curries and stews, use it to fill tacos or enchiladas, or make homemade sushi rolls or bowls.
When kept raw, cauli rice is great for adding depth and texture to salads. The thing to remember is to go bold with your flavours, as the rice needs a bit of a kick to bring it to life, so season generously with salt and pepper, be a bit more liberal with spices, and don't be afraid to add plenty of fresh herbs or citrus. If blending or grating your cauliflower seems like too much fuss, you can also buy fresh cauliflower rice at supermarkets across the UAE.
For an easy but interesting vegan main course, cauliflower steaks should be your go-to. Remove the leaves from a whole head of cauliflower and, keeping the stalk intact, slice into individual steaks that are about two centimetres thick. Brush all over with olive oil and lemon juice, season with salt and pepper, and dust with smoked paprika (if you like). Cook in a searing-hot griddle pan or over a barbecue for 10 minutes on each side, until the steaks are tender with some bite. To finish the dish, we like serving ours scattered with chunks of crumbled feta, capers and chopped parsley.
A whole roast cauliflower, meanwhile, provides a talking point at dinner. Trim away the outer leaves and remove the base of the stalk so that the cauliflower sits flat. Boil it in a large pan of salted water for eight to 10 minutes, then drain carefully. Add your flavourings – you can cover it with garlic butter, keep it simple with olive oil, salt and pepper, brush with curry paste or drizzle with sumac-infused oil. Place on a baking tray and roast in an oven preheated to 200°C for 30 minutes, then serve the cauliflower whole at the table, for people to help themselves.
You could also stream or boil the vegetable until soft to make a mash that's lighter and less carb-heavy than the traditional potato version, or prepare cauliflower popcorn by roasting olive-oil-drizzled florets in the oven until golden and crunchy. Boiled-then-cooled florets that are blitzed in a blender with creme fraiche, cream cheese and rosemary also make a lovely dip.
Where to get your cauliflower fix
Some of our favourite cauliflower-focused dishes include the gluten, sugar, dairy and additive-free Rawiflower Super Bowl at Wild & the Moon in Dubai, which also features nut cheese, pomegranate, cucumber, almonds, chickpeas and chives, and is available at both the original Alserkal Avenue location and the new outlet on Emaar Boulevard.
Delivery service Freedom Pizza deserves a shout-out for its cauliflower pizza bases, particularly as they’ve managed to ensure that not only are the crusts vegan and gluten-free, but they’re also notable for their light and crispy texture.
For a dine-in option in Dubai, Heat Restaurant on Jumeirah Beach Road serves up low-carb pizzas, with bases made from a mix of cauliflower, cheese and egg.
Argentinean steak restaurant Gaucho in DIFC, might be famous for its meat, but those in the know will recommend you try its grilled cauliflower wedges with anchovy butter and tahini dip as a side dish. In the capital, meanwhile, hole-in-the-wall Mexican takeaway spot Burro Blanco offers cauliflower rice as a standard alternative to the traditional white variety in its burritos and bowls, while the Slim Trim bowl, in particular, offers a great mix of textures and flavours, thanks to the roasted pumpkin, smooth cilantro cream, crunchy lettuce, earthy cauli rice and Mexican-inspired falafel.
Benefits of first-time home buyers' scheme
- Priority access to new homes from participating developers
- Discounts on sales price of off-plan units
- Flexible payment plans from developers
- Mortgages with better interest rates, faster approval times and reduced fees
- DLD registration fee can be paid through banks or credit cards at zero interest rates
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The specs
- Engine: 3.9-litre twin-turbo V8
- Power: 640hp
- Torque: 760nm
- On sale: 2026
- Price: Not announced yet
COMPANY PROFILE
Name: HyperSpace
Started: 2020
Founders: Alexander Heller, Rama Allen and Desi Gonzalez
Based: Dubai, UAE
Sector: Entertainment
Number of staff: 210
Investment raised: $75 million from investors including Galaxy Interactive, Riyadh Season, Sega Ventures and Apis Venture Partners
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Which honey takes your fancy?
Al Ghaf Honey
The Al Ghaf tree is a local desert tree which bears the harsh summers with drought and high temperatures. From the rich flowers, bees that pollinate this tree can produce delicious red colour honey in June and July each year
Sidr Honey
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Samar Honey
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Pharaoh's curse
British aristocrat Lord Carnarvon, who funded the expedition to find the Tutankhamun tomb, died in a Cairo hotel four months after the crypt was opened.
He had been in poor health for many years after a car crash, and a mosquito bite made worse by a shaving cut led to blood poisoning and pneumonia.
Reports at the time said Lord Carnarvon suffered from “pain as the inflammation affected the nasal passages and eyes”.
Decades later, scientists contended he had died of aspergillosis after inhaling spores of the fungus aspergillus in the tomb, which can lie dormant for months. The fact several others who entered were also found dead withiin a short time led to the myth of the curse.
How to book
Call DHA on 800342
Once you are registered, you will receive a confirmation text message
Present the SMS and your Emirates ID at the centre
DHA medical personnel will take a nasal swab
Check results within 48 hours on the DHA app under ‘Lab Results’ and then ‘Patient Services’
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UK's plans to cut net migration
Under the UK government’s proposals, migrants will have to spend 10 years in the UK before being able to apply for citizenship.
Skilled worker visas will require a university degree, and there will be tighter restrictions on recruitment for jobs with skills shortages.
But what are described as "high-contributing" individuals such as doctors and nurses could be fast-tracked through the system.
Language requirements will be increased for all immigration routes to ensure a higher level of English.
Rules will also be laid out for adult dependants, meaning they will have to demonstrate a basic understanding of the language.
The plans also call for stricter tests for colleges and universities offering places to foreign students and a reduction in the time graduates can remain in the UK after their studies from two years to 18 months.
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The Baghdad Clock
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UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Global state-owned investor ranking by size
1.
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United States
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2.
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China
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3.
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UAE
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4.
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Japan
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5
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Norway
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Canada
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Singapore
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Australia
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Saudi Arabia
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South Korea
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Brief scoreline:
Wales 1
James 5'
Slovakia 0
Man of the Match: Dan James (Wales)
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