Roasted Cauliflower with Indian Spices

   It's a terribly gloomy day today. The sun is nowhere to be found, and the landscape is obscured by fog. The sky is dark. It's raining. Everything is dripping wet ,and the snow is turning brown with mud. Oh what fun. 

   If you are ever wondering what to do with yourself when days like these roll around, do what I did today. Before parking yourself on the couch for the day, go sit in a sauna and have a good sweat. It's so relaxing. And if your looking for a way to get the lead out,(or mercury, or toxic chemicals) a sauna can help you do that.

  I went to a spa with a far infrared sauna this afternoon. Infrared heat penetrates the body inducing it to sweat and release toxins. I usually have a hard time breathing in a sauna. Especially the ones that get all steamy, but because the infrared heat penetrates more deeply, they run at a lower temperature than conventional ones, and are very comfortable. 

   Saunas are very good for increasing circulation. This brings more nutrients and oxygen to your cells as well as flushing out toxins, which can boost your immune system and increase healing. Sweating also burns calories, so after the sauna you will want to get yourself some food.

   I knew I had a cauliflower sitting in my refrigerator, so I came straight home after my sauna and made myself this recipe for Indian spiced roasted cauliflower, which I adapted from Madhur Jaffrey's  book, Vegetarian India: A Journey Through the Best Of Indian Home Cooking, (Knopf 2015). One of the things I love about Indian food, besides the taste, is that many of the dishes are so simple to make. This can be put together quickly, yet it is so full of flavor. All you do is cut up the cauliflower, rub the sauce onto it, and throw it in a hot oven. It's a little bit spicy from the cayenne, a little bit earthy from the cumin, and a little bit sharp from the lemon. It's a great sauce that I think would taste great on so may vegetables, and I bet if you're a tofu or fish eater you could rub it on a piece of either before cooking.
  

Roasted Cauliflower With Indian Spices
Adapted from Madhur Jaffrey
Serves 4

Preheat oven to 375 degrees

1 large cauliflower cut/broken into (1 1/2") florets
1T. lemon juice
1/2 tsp. turmeric
1 tsp. grated ginger
3/4 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. cayenne (more if you want some real heat)
2 tsp. ground cumin
1 tsp. ground coriander
2 1/2 T. olive oil
1/4c. chopped cilantro to garnish

Place the florets in a large bowl.
Mix the remaining ingredients together. Then spoon it over the florets. Toss until cauliflower florets are well coated. You probably would have better luck with your hands than a spoon. I used my hands (covered with gloves).
Spread the cauliflower on a sheet pan and roast it in the 375 degree oven for about 15 minutes.  Then give it a toss and check to see if it is tender. Continue cooking until desired tenderness. Probably another 5-10 minutes. 
Sprinkle on the cilantro and serve.