Roasted cauliflower with Svanetian salt and adjika

My recent trip to Georgia opened my eyes, and palate to both Svanetian salt and adjika powder. These are freely available in the marketplaces across Georgia and on Amazon internationally.

Svanetian salt is lovely, it is spiced with ground blue fenugreek and ground coriander, and the flavours burst on your palate. It is a mild spice enhanced with the salt, but distinct, and a flavour I grew to love. Adjika, on the other hand, is a bold burst of chilli, it smacks you on the palate.

The roasted cauliflower is perfect, it allows both these spice blends to bloom. You want to make the salt dominant, with just of hint of heat from the adjika, otherwise, the adjika will overpower the beauty of the subtle salt. I add the salt and adjika in two stages to the cauliflower florets, once before roasting and then right before serving the dish. The first stage allows the spices to penetrate the cauliflower, and the second sprinkling adds that extra flavour burst. This is a super simple recipe that everyone loves for its subtility and is perfect for any occasion.

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Ingredients:

1 large head of cauliflower

1. + 1/2 teaspoon Svanetian salt

1/2 + a few pinches of Adjika powder

3 tablespoons olive oil

Preheat the oven to 375°F.

Remove the large stems from the cauliflower and break them into florets. Toss with 1 teaspoon of the Svanetian salt, 1/2 teaspoon adjika, and the oil to coat the florets well.

Line a baking sheet and layer the florets. Roast for 15-20 minutes till they just begin to char in spots.

Serve hot with the additional salt and as much adjika as you would like sprinkled on top. The flavour should be predominantly from the Svanetian salt, don't drown out the subtle flavours with the spice from the adjika.