whole-roasted spiced cauliflower

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This is really impressive as a main course. Treating vegetables like meat and marinating them makes eating plant foods enticing and delicious. It's also fantastic to have this vegetable take center stage on the dinner table!

1 head of cauliflower
2 tomatoes, roughly chopped
1/2 onion, peeled and roughly chopped
1/4 cup finely chopped cilantro leaves
2 garlic cloves, minced
1” stem fresh ginger root, peeled and grated
2 Tbsp olive oil
1/2 lemon, juiced

1 Tbsp ground turmeric

1 tsp ground cumin

1 tsp ground coriander

1/2 tsp salt

1 small chili, seeds removed and finely sliced (optional)

1/2 cup water

Remove the leaves on each cauliflower head and trim the stem end so that it is flat. Then, cut a deep cross at the bottom of stem.
Blend the tomato, onion, garlic, ginger, oil, lemon juice, spices and salt (and chili, if using.) Baste the cauliflower with the blended mixture and marinate in the refrigerator overnight in a dutch oven, or for a couple of days. Baste regularly.
Preheat oven to 400°F. Add the water into a large Dutch oven. Place the cauliflower in, along with any marinade.
Cover and roast for 50 minutes - 1 hour, until soft.
You can add some ready-to-eat chickpeas and/or frozen peas into the stockpot and with the lid off, broil on "HI" for 7-10 minutes.