We’ve been watching Jamie Oliver’s £1 Wonders (currently showing on Channel 4 and All 4.)  

You have to give this guy some credit: from school dinners to lockdown dinners, one-pans to one-pound wonders, he’s worked to address national issues and priorities  with warmth and imagination. Food poverty (both educational and financial), lack of access to fresh food, reducing waste, feeding our children better and just the simple matter of making ends meet have all been covered. Yes, you could choose to knock him because he’s wealthy and is showing you how to eat cheaply, but he’s earned his own money and he’s trying to help others. More than can be said for most other millionaires.  The Chorlton Eats team loves JO. 

Anyway, this week’s £1 Wonders featured a recipe by chef Karan Gokani for Air-fryer Cauliflower Curry with Coconut and Onion Rotis.  It’s a  great recipe (we’ve tried it): meat-free, quick to make and good and spicy.  The flatbread works and you can even chop up the cauli leaves to make tasty crispy bits. The only drawback ? Turmeric stained fingers – be careful out there. 

The other nugget we took from this recipe was that this was a FANTASTIC way to cook cauliflower! Roasting (or air-frying) gives a result so much more intensely flavoured than steaming or boiling.  Slice it inch-thick, or cut it into large florettes, coat lightly it with oil (spicy or not) then air-fry it at 190 degrees for 12-15 minutes, turning it half-way through. It comes out with a gorgeous toasty, roasted flavour. Whatever chilli heat, sourness or caramelisation you get on the outside, you’ll have a creamy, silky softness on the inside to complement it. And don’t forget those crispy cauli leaf sprinkles!

Air-fryers are loads cheaper to run than the oven, they’re quicker too. Low maintenance, high flavour, big tick.