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

A creamy, spice-infused crab bake with curried cauliflower.

Category Side Dish

Prep 15 minutes

Cook 30 minutes

Style Indian

Technique Baking

Diet Friendly Gluten-Free

Daily recipe · January 28, 2024

A little about this dish

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.

A final fox tip

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.