Cauliflower Popcorn with Poached Egg and Peanut Tamarind Chutney

I bought a car not so long back and it’s been playing up on me. I was in an accident on my way to work and my old car was wrapped around a telegraph pole. There’s two things to note here. 1. it wasn’t my fault, the person that hit me wasn’t paying attention 2. You never know what is going to happen to you each day, and I probably don’t need to say much more about that. Just tell the people you love how much they mean to you….all the time.

I have taken the car to the service centre quite a few times. They really didn’t want to know about it, because it isn’t a problem that will mean I can’t drive it but it’s an annoying performance problem that costs money. Eventually they booked it in and told me the computer (that runs all our cars today) needed to be taken back to factory settings so that the car could unlearn it’s bad behaviour.  I was told to be gentle and non aggressive with it for about the first week after service so it could relearn and start to drive the way I want it to. Is that a very funny thing to hear?

I thought it was. Anyway..

The naughty car is parked in the driveway this morning, and sadly I don’t think it has learned to behave itself any better than it did before its lobotomy.  I was considering this this morning as I  sat down to catch up on a few of my favourite blogs. One post that caught my eye was a review of a great new cafe called Haven Tailoring Coffee Joyously by Lorraine, and the next thing you know I was in the kitchen making brunch. You see I saw a dish of cauliflower popcorn, poached egg and watercress. Next minute I was digging in the fridge.  I had the  cauliflower, the eggs and I had a glorious peanut chutney. The bones of the idea for this brunch dish were so good I couldn’t resist. I reworked mine around a curry theme given I had this little pot of Peanut and Tamarind Chutney (chutni). I was sent this chutney a little while back and featured it in last months In My Kitchen. I have been scoffing it since opening the rather unusual brown contents of this jar and I think I am addicted. I took it to work to share with a few people to find out if others liked it and it isn’t just me. One comment was….that is completely addictive- don’t tell me where to buy it because I could put it on everything. ( yes, I told you) So, I have built my copycat brunch dish around it.

** I have no connection with this product, although I was originally sent a jar. That is behind me now….I am officially in love

This is a dish in a few parts, but it is so good. In fact I was shocked when skater ate all of his, ALL!

The cauliflower is fried, although I am sure you could bake it if you wanted. You can also cook it a little bit ahead and re-crisp in a warm oven while you make the rest. I have included a really simple quick cucumber pickle that cuts through the spices and the egg and lends the perfect contrast in flavour and texture.

Simple cucumber pickle.

Cauliflower Popcorn with Poached Egg and Peanut Tamarind Chutney

Cauliflower does it again in this delicious brunch dish

5 from 2 votes

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Servings 4

Ingredients

  

Cucumber Pickle

• 100 ml rice vinegar 1/4 cup
• 40 gm sugar or Maple Syrup to taste- 2 tablespoons
• 200 gm cucumber peeled chopped cucumber with seeds removed
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1 slice ginger

Cauliflower

• 300 gm cauliflower broken into small flowrettes
• 4 Tablespoons dry curry powder *
• 2 teaspoons ground cumin
• 2 teaspoons smoked paprika
• 1 teaspoon coriander powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 150 gm flour or gluten free flour
• 4 whole eggs
• 1 whole egg extra beaten with 1/4 of milk for egg washing
• 60 ml milk
• 500 ml vegetable oil
• 1 jar Peanut tamarind chutney or another one
• 2 Tablespoons chives chopped
• fresh coriander to taste
• Optional roasted cashews and sesame seeds for crunch

Instructions

 

• Mix the vinegar, sugar and ginger in a jug and heat just till the sugar dissolves. Pour over the chopped cucumber and set aside.
• Put the flour into a bowl and mix in all the spices.
• Dip the cauliflower into the egg and then into the spiced flour and set aside.
• Pour the oil into a small pot so that the oil is quite deep, heat on medium to high. Test a piece of cauliflower to see if it sizzles. Once it is hot add the cauliflower in batches, turning down if browning too quickly. Drain on paper and keep warm.
• Heat a 1/4 pot of water over heat until it is just under simmering. Break the eggs in a cup one at a time and drop into the water to poach. Take out once cooked and drain on kitchen paper.
• In a bowl, mix the cauliflower, chives coriander and sesame seeds and cashews ( if using). Put equal amounts into the base of 4 plates. Add 5 or 6 pieces of drained cucumber pickle on top. Add an egg onto each and a nice spoon of Peanut and Tamarind chutney

Notes

I used Malaysian curry powder and it wasn't very strong or hot, so please check yours. You may only need 2 Tablespoons

PS. You can buy the chutney at Coles