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Middle Eastern cauliflower rice with lamb mince

Name: Middle Eastern cauliflower rice with lamb mince recipe
Yield: 4
Ingredients: 40.00 ml currants; Vegetable oil, to deep-fry; 2 onions, thinly sliced; 250.00 ml mint leaves; 800g cauliflower, broken into florets; 80ml olive oil; 500g lamb mince; 30.00 ml baharat (Middle Eastern spice blend, from specialty grocers); 1 1/2 tsp dried oregano; 4 garlic cloves, crushed; 40.00 ml lemon juice, plus lemon wedges, to serve; 1 1/2 tsp Aleppo pepper (substitute 1/2 tsp chilli flakes), plus extra, to serve; 50g pine nut

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by Lucy Nunes

Delicious Team

Jun 26, 2024

"The trick with cauliflower rice is to take your time. Make it in small batches using the pulse button on your food processor to control the texture, so you don’t end up with mush." – Lucy Nunes

2 tbs currants
Vegetable oil, to deep-fry
2 onions, thinly sliced
1 cup mint leaves
800g cauliflower, broken into florets
1/3 cup (80ml) extra virgin olive oil
500g lamb mince
1 1/2 tbs baharat (Middle Eastern spice blend, from specialty grocers)
1 1/2 tsp dried oregano
4 garlic cloves, crushed
2 tbs lemon juice, plus lemon wedges, to serve
1 1/2 tsp Aleppo pepper (substitute 1/2 tsp chilli flakes), plus extra, to serve
1/3 cup (50g) pine nuts, toasted

Method

1.

Place the currants in a small bowl and cover with hot water.
2.

Add enough vegetable oil to come 3cm up the side of a small saucepan and heat to 180°C (a cube of bread will turn golden in 60 seconds when the oil is hot enough). In 2 batches, deep-fry onion slices for 7-8 minutes until golden and crisp. Remove with a slotted spoon and drain on paper towel. Deep fry the mint leaves for 1 minute until crisp. Remove with a slotted spoon and drain on paper towel.
3.

Using the pulse button, whiz cauliflower, in 3 batches, in a food processor until mixture resembles rice. Set aside.
4.

Heat 2 tbs olive oil in a large, deep frypan over high heat. Cook the mince, stirring to break up, for 6 minutes or until browned. Drain the currants and add to the mince with the baharat, oregano and garlic. Cook, stirring often, for 2 minutes until fragrant. Add the cauliflower rice and toss to coat. Cook, stirring often, for 1-2 minutes to warm through. Season and toss through lemon juice, Aleppo pepper, remaining 2 tbs olive oil and most of the pine nuts.
5.

Serve sprinkled with crispy onion and mint, reserved pine nuts and extra Aleppo pepper, with lemon wedges alongside.