Fried scallops with curried cauliflower and coconut sauce
Scallops and cauliflower are a great combo. Here they’re accompanied by lots of fragrant spices and a creamy coconut sauce to create a sophisticated meal for two.
Ingredients
- 60²µ/2¼´Ç³ú butter
- 1 tbsp mild curry powder
- 1 tsp ground cumin
- 1 tsp ground ginger
- ½ cinnamon stick
- 3 cloves
- 1 tsp coriander seeds
- 1 tsp fenugreek seeds
- 1 tsp dried chilli flakes
- 1 large cauliflower, root and outer leaves removed, cut into small florets
- 1 litre/1¾ pints vegetable stock
- 400ml tin coconut milk
- 1 lime leaf
- 6 fresh mint leaves, thinly sliced
- 8 scallops
- 1 tsp olive oil
- squeeze lime juice
- salt
- micro coriander shoots, to garnish
Method
Melt 1 tablespoon of butter in a saucepan over a medium heat. When the butter is foaming, add the ground and whole spices and stir well. Fry for 1–2 minutes, or until fragrant.
Add the cauliflower to the pan and enough of the stock to cover the florets. Bring to the boil, then reduce the heat and simmer for 20 minutes or until tender. Remove the pan from the heat and set aside to allow the cauliflower to cool in the stock.
Meanwhile, put the coconut milk and lime leaf in a small saucepan and bring to the boil. Continue to boil until the volume of the liquid has reduced by half, removing any scum that floats to the surface during cooking. Discard the lime leaf and stir in the mint and a pinch of salt.
Just before serving, drain the cauliflower and discard the cinnamon stick and cloves. Heat half of the remaining butter in a frying pan over a medium heat. When the butter is foaming, add the cauliflower and fry until golden brown.
Heat the oil in a frying pan over a medium heat. Fry the scallops for 1½ minutes on each side. Add the butter and fry until golden.
To serve, scatter the cauliflower florets onto a serving dish and add the scallops. Drizzle with the coconut sauce, squeeze over the lime juice and garnish with the coriander shoots.
