Cauliflower Shawarma with Spiced Butter and Roasted Almonds

Slofoodgroup Team April 28, 2021

Vegetarian Spiced Cauliflower on Flatbread with Tahini Sauce, Pomegranate, and Almonds

A popular street food staple across the world, shawarma traditionally consists of stacked pieces of meat cooked on a slow-turning spit over the fire then served in bread with various sauces and vegetables. Shawarma is sometimes used interchangeably with Kebab, and it isn't entirely wrong. Shawarma is a kebab that has undergone a culinary evolution. It is typically positioned vertically over the heat, rather than horizontally, as with most Kebabs.

Shawarma is also the name of the sandwich itself, so we kept the principles of it and turned it vegetarian. We feel like cauliflower best pairs with cinnamon, turmeric, nutmeg, cumin and coriander—traditional spices of the dish. So why not whip some butter with all of these fragrant Shawarma spices and spread it on the flatbread to meet fresh-out-the-oven, roasted cauliflower? Of course, we couldn't stop there, so we drizzled tahini and pomegranate molasses for a kick of both creaminess and tanginess. Paired with crunchy salted almonds and fresh pomegranate seeds, you will honestly forget you're eating a vegetarian sandwich!

Roasted Cauliflower Shawarma with Pomegranate Molasses, Spiced Butter, and Chopped Almonds

• 1 small head of cauliflower
• 1 teaspoon turmeric powder
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon freshly cracked black pepper
• 1/2 teaspoon onion powder
• 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
• 2 teaspoon black sesame seeds

For the tahini sauce:

• 40 grams tahini
• 1 tablespoon lemon juice
• 1 small clove garlic, crushed
• flake sea salt 

For the pomegranate molasses sauce:

• 1 tablespoon pomegranate molasses (thinned down with water)

For the wrap:

• 2 tablespoons pomegranate seeds
• 2-3 tablespoons chopped almonds, toasted
• 1½ tablespoon flat-leaf parsley, finely chopped
• fresh coriander leaves, finely chopped
• flatbreads of choice

For the spiced butter:

• 100 grams unsalted butter, softened
• 1 teaspoon lemon zest
• 1½ teaspoon ground coriander
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1 teaspoon sumac
• 1½ teaspoon ground cumin
• ½ teaspoon ground allspice
• a pinch of grated nutmeg
• a pinch of fresh-ground cardamom

1. Preheat oven to 350°F/180°C, fan on;
2. Cut the cauliflower head into small florets; drizzle liberally with olive oil and season with turmeric powder, salt, pepper, onion powder and sesame seeds; toss to coat and bake at 350°F/180°C, fan on for 20 minutes;
3. While the cauliflower is cooking, whisk together the tahini, lemon juice and garlic with 1/2 tsp sea salt; gradually add water to it; at first it will turn lumpy but continue adding water until a thin sauce is formed;
4. To another bowl, mix all the ingredients for the spiced butter and set aside;
5. Once the cauliflower is cooked, spread some spiced butter to the flatbreads, add the cauliflower, roasted almonds, pomegranate seeds, fresh coriander, and parsley
6. Drizzle generously with the tahini and pomegranate sauces.