A bubbling dish full of creamy cauliflower florets, emerging golden-brown from the oven. Shreds of seasoned crab meat are peeping through the velvety sauce, adding a delightful contrast in color and texture. Garnished with finely chopped cilantro for a pop of fresh green and red chili flakes for that little extra heat.

Spiced Crab Bake with Curried Cauliflower Gratin

Name: Spiced Crab Bake with Curried Cauliflower Gratin
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 30 min
Total time: 45 min
Yield: 4
Cuisine: Indian Fusion
Ingredients: Crab meat, 1 lb cooked and shredded; Cauliflower, large, 1 cut into small florets; Canola oil, 2 tbsp; Garlic, 2 cloves minced; Ginger, 1 inch grated; Turmeric, 1 tsp; Cumin, 1 tsp; Coriander, 1 tsp; Milk, 2 cup; All-purpose flour, 2 tbsp; Butter, 2 tbsp; Salt and Pepper, to taste; Grated Gruyère cheese, 2 cups; Fresh cilantro, finely chopped for garnish; Red chili flakes, optional

Category Side Dish

Prep 15 minutes

Cook 30 minutes

Style Indian Fusion

Technique Baking

Diet Friendly Gluten-Free

Daily Recipe: January 28, 2024

Unveiling an exciting fusion of Indian spices with sumptuous crab served as a warm comforting side on a chilly, rainy day - Spiced Crab Bake with Curried Cauliflower Gratin. This dish artfully blends the succulence of crab with classic Indian ingredients, and our seasonal vegetable of choice - cauliflower, baked to perfection with a creamy curry béchamel sauce.

Ingredients (for 4)

Crab meat - 1 lb - cooked and shredded
Cauliflower, large - 1 - cut into small florets
Canola oil - 2 tbsp
Garlic - 2 cloves - minced
Ginger - 1 inch - grated
Turmeric - 1 tsp
Cumin - 1 tsp
Coriander - 1 tsp
Milk - 2 cup
All-purpose flour - 2 tbsp
Butter - 2 tbsp
Salt and pepper - to taste
Grated gruyère cheese - 2 cups
Fresh cilantro - - finely chopped for garnish
Red chili flakes - optional

Preparation

Step 1 - 🌡️🔥⏲️

Preheat your oven to 375°F.
Step 2 - 🥘💦🔥

In a large saucepan, heat oil over medium heat. Add garlic, ginger, cumin, coricookander, and turmeric, sauté until fragrant.
Step 3 - 🥦🦀🔥

Add cauliflower florets, season with salt and pepper, stirring until coated in the spices. Stir in shredded crab meat then set aside.
Step 4 - 🥄🧈✨

In a separate saucepan, create a roux by melting butter and whisking in flour until it forms a paste.
Step 5 - 🥛🧀🍯

Gradually whisk milk into the roux and bring to a boil, stirring continuously. Once thickened, remove from heat and stir in the cheese until it's melted and smooth.
Step 6 - 🧀🥦🦀

Combine the cheese sauce with the cauliflower and crab, mixing thoroughly.
Step 7 - 🍲🔥⏰

Transfer the mixture to a baking dish and bake for 20 minutes or until the top is golden brown.
Step 8 - 🌿🌶️🥣

Garnish your dish with fresh cilantro and optional chili flakes before serving.

Additional

A fun alternative can be swapping out cauliflower with broccoli or brussels sprouts. Kids can help by grating the cheese or breaking the cauliflower into florets. Originally, a gratin is a culinary technique in French cuisine where an ingredient is topped with a browned crust. In this recipe, we have created a fusion by incorporating Indian spices into the cheese sauce.