Cauliflower Cheese with Chilli Flakes
Cauliflower Cheese
Mamta Gupta
This simple dish is a favourite in our house. You can serve it as a side dish alongside roast/grilled meats or chicken etc., or it can be served as a main course for vegetarian. It is best served piping hot. I make my cheese sauce all in one, the easy way. A little turmeric and chilli flakes added to the cheese sauce give it a lovely colour and make it stand out.
Edited March 2023.
Serves 6 as a side dish.
Ingredients
1 medium head cauliflower, broken into medium sized florets. Very large ones are difficult to serve.
40 gm. plain flour (maida)
400 ml. semi skimmed or full cream milk
1 tsp. English mustard. I use Coleman's powdered mustard, but you can use any 'made' mustard powder or paste.
150 gm. mature cheddar cheese, grated. You can use/add other cheeses like parmesan or a little bit of Stilton or similar.
Salt to taste
Turmeric and Chilli Flakes in Cheese Sauce
1/2 tsp turmeric powder
Chilli flakes to taste (use black pepper, if you don’t like chillies)
Instructions
Preheat the oven to 190C/375F/Gas 5.
Trim and wash the cauliflower, cut into medium sized florets.
Place cauliflower florets in pan of lightly salted water to heat. Bring to boil and simmer briskly for 3-5 minutes. Do not overcook, the florets should be still fairly firm.
Drain in a colander. Run cold water to stop it from cooking further and leave to drain.
The sauce
Take 1 cup of milk out. Then bring remaining milk to boil.
In the cup of saved milk, beat in the flour and mustard powder. If making turmeric cheese sauce, add it here.
Once the milk comes to boil, add the milk + flour mix to it. Stir all the time to avoid lump formation, until the sauce thickens. Turn the heat off.
Stir in two thirds of the cheese and chilli flakes.
Spoon some of this sauce on the base of your serving dish. Arrange the cauliflower florets on top.
Now pour over the remaining sauce slowly, ensuring that all the cauliflower florets are completely covered.
Sprinkle the remaining cheese on top. You can prepare it until this stage in advance and store in the fridge, even freezer.
Bake for 25-30 minutes in a hot oven, until the top is golden-brown and the sauce is bubbling.
Serve piping hot.
