A Sweet-Spiced Memory: Roasted Cauliflower and Dates Over Saffron Rice

Photo by Michael Piazza / Styled by Catrine Kelty

This is my version of a summer rice pilaf that takes inspiration from my Parsi school friend’s mom’s berry pulao. The Parsi community in Pune, where I went to school, holds a special place in my food memories—their bakeries with shortbread biscuits and mawa cakes, and most of all, their savory pulaos layered with flavor. I love how sweet and savory come together in their cuisine, along with the crunch from matchstick potatoes. 

This vegetarian version pairs fragrant saffron rice with garam masala–roasted cauliflower and soft dates—topped with a fresh crunchy kachumbar, it’s a combination that feels both familiar and fresh. It is a great one to prep ahead and assemble all the components in an ovenproof casserole dish for celebratory dinner or garden brunch. It’s a deeply nostalgic recipe, while being grounded in the way I cook today: seasonal, rooted and always a little bit soulful.

Serves 4–6

FOR THE CAULIFLOWER:
1 medium cauliflower head (4–5 cups cut)
6 whole medjool dates
1 inch fresh ginger
2 large cloves garlic
1 inch jalapeño pepper (adjust for less spice)
1 cup fresh cilantro (include tender stems)
¼ cup mint leaves
4 whole green cardamom pods
1 teaspoon turmeric powder
1 tablespoon garam masala
½ cup plain yogurt 
1–2 teaspoons salt (adjust to taste)
2 tablespoons olive oil

FOR THE SAFFRON RICE:
Pinch of saffron strands (6–8 threads)
1 tablespoon milk, warmed 
1½ cups long-grain white basmati rice 
2 teaspoons ghee (or olive oil)
2 whole black cardamom pods (optional, sub with green)
1 inch piece of cinnamon stick
2 whole cloves
1 ⅔ cups hot water 

FOR THE FRIED ONIONS:
3 medium onions
1½ tablespoons olive oil
½ teaspoon sugar
¼ teaspoon salt

FOR THE KACHUMBAR:
1 bunch radishes
2 small chioggia beets (or golden beets)
1 lemon, juiced
1 tablespoon chopped cilantro
½ teaspoon salt

Prepare the cauliflower:
Preheat oven to 400°F and prepare a baking sheet with parchment paper. Or fire up the grill / pizza oven outside and preheat a cast-iron griddle.  

Clean the cauliflower head and cut the florets into large bite-size pieces; sprinkle with the garam masala and turmeric powder and set aside. 

Cut the dates open, remove the pits, cut each into 4 pieces and set aside in a separate bowl. 

Peel the ginger and cut into rough pieces; peel the garlic; roughly chop the cilantro and stems. Snip off the mint leaves and cut the jalapeño. Combine these ingredients in the bowl of a food processor and blend along with the cardamom, yogurt and salt into a paste. 

Add almost all of the paste to the cauliflower and a little bit to the dates. Coat everything thoroughly. 

Spread the cauliflower out on the baking sheet, drizzle with 1 tablespoon olive oil and bake for 30–35 minutes. 

Stir and flip the cauliflower after 15 minutes to brown evenly. At this midpoint, add the dressed dates to the pan, drizzle with 1 tablespoon olive oil and continue baking another 15 minutes.

Make the caramelized onions:
Peel, wash and thinly slice the onions. 

Heat a heavy pan over medium heat, add the oil; when hot, add the onions and stir-fry. 

Lower the heat to medium-low and cook the onions for 10 minutes, add the salt and sugar. Continue cooking down the onions until brown and caramelized for about 20–22 minutes. 

Make the rice: 
Warm the milk in a small bowl and add the saffron to help infuse the flavor and color into the milk. 

While your cauliflower is baking, wash the rice in a bowl until the water runs clear. 

Bring the water to a boil in a kettle. In an ovenproof 8-quart pot, heat the ghee or oil over medium heat. Add the whole spices and stir-fry for 30 seconds, until they dance in the hot fat. Add the washed rice and stir for 1–-2 minutes, coating all the grains with the ghee. 

Add the boiling water to the pot and stir to remove any lumps. Cover with a tight-fitting lid. Bake for 12–15 minutes, until the grains are tender. Remove from the oven, rest for 5 minutes, add the saffron-infused milk and the caramelized onions, reserving some for garnish. Fluff and mix the rice with a fork. Half-cover the pot and let it rest for 10 minutes. 

Make the kachumbar:
Wash and trim the radishes; cut the ends. Wash, peel and trim the ends of the beets. 

Cut all the radishes and beets by first slicing them thinly and then stacking the slices and cutting them into thin matchsticks. 

Add the cut veggies, lemon juice and salt to a bowl, set aside to macerate in the lemon juice. 

Add the fresh herbs before serving. 

Assemble the dish:
Spoon the rice onto a large platter and arrange the cauliflower over it; top with kachumbar.

This recipe appeared in the Summer 2025 issue as part of a larger story: A Seasoned Summer.