[1] There’s no rice involved here: This mushroom “risotto” was made by HealthyFellow.com from riced cauliflower. Here’s the recipe.
[2] The JoyLoop brand is sold at Good Eggs in San Francisco—perhaps the most wonderful food purveyor in the U.S.—and other brands are sold nationwide.
[3] In the U.K., CauliRice.com sells plain cauliflower rice, plus Indian, Mediterranean and Thai flavors.
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The recipe for homemade cauliflower rice is below. But first: Cauliflower rice, also called cauliflower couscous, is poised for fame. There’s no actual rice involved; it’s a grain-free rice substitute made from cauliflower, that can be used in just about every rice recipe from plain boiled to fried rice to risotto.
Cauliflower rice—cauliflower chopped in a ricer, became popular with the Paleo Diet, and it is takes time to make it from scratch.
Fortunately, the Paleo Diet is making people more aware of it, and small producers have begun to cut and package it. It can be found minced or pulverized, fresh and frozen.
Who invented cauliflower rice? There may be several different “inventors” who first pulverized a head of cauliflower. The Italian supplier who makes other cauliflower products for Trader Joe’s ended up with lots of leftover florets and trim. Rather than toss them, Trader Joe’s says, “We put our heads together and came up with a new product made from this extra cauliflower.”
Cauliflower is a nutritional powerhouse, a “superfood,” a term that evaluates foods based on their calorie density vis-a-vis their amount/types of nutrients. A member of the Brassica family, it is rich in immune-boosting antioxidants and vitamin C (also an antioxidant). It is low in calories and low on the Glycemic Index (GI). But there’s more:
Cauliflower contains more vitamin C per 100g than an orange.
It has a range of protective plant compounds (the antioxidants quercetin, beta carotene, and caffeic acid) that help to reduce oxidative stress in the body, a key risk factor for cancer.
Its anti-inflammatory properties help reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease and helps to alleviate symptoms of other chronic inflammatory conditions, such as arthritis and inflammatory bowel syndrome.
Its sulphur compounds support detoxification in the liver, and promote levels of beneficial bacteria in the gut.
As with cauliflower mashed potatoes, you can pass it off to kids and adult finicky eaters as regular rice.
WHERE TO BUY CAULIFLOWER RICE
Now here’s the rub: Cauliflower rice is not yet available as widely as it should be. But it’s poised for fame and on its way: We recently spoke with a specialty food manufacturer who will be bringing it to market soon. In the interim:
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Trader Joe’s imports it frozen from Italy. It was so popular that as of this writing, it is sold out and the retailer is waiting for a new shipment.
Joyloop Foods, in greater San Franciso, sells to some California retailers and online.
Paleo On The Go, a meal delivery service, packages it and sells it on Amazon.
You can buy Green Giant Cauliflower Crumbles in a Steam In Pack. Although the crumbles are larger than riced cauliflower, you can cook them al dente and rice them.
And of course, you can make your own from a head of cauliflower.
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*Brassica is the plant genus of cruciferous vegetables, nutritional powerhouses packed with potent, cancer-fighting phytonutrients (antioxidants). They include arugula, bok choy, broccoli, Brussels sprouts, cabbage, cauliflower, horseradish/wasabi, kale, kohlrabi, mustard, radish, rapeseed/canola, rapini, rutabaga and turnips, among others.
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RECIPE: HOMEMADE CAULIFLOWER RICE
Cauliflower rice can be buttered, sauced or otherwise made more flavorful by adding vegetables, herbs and/or spices. This recipe, from CauliRice.com, advises that homemade versions will taste more strongly of cauliflower and less like actual rice, but we have no issue with the homemade “rice.” Light seasoning, butter, etc. will mask any subtle cauliflower flavor.
Prep time is 10 minutes.
Ingredients For 3-4 Servings
1 head of cauliflower
Salt and pepper and/or other seasonings (herbs, spices)
Optional: cooking oil
Chopping board and knife
Food processor with an “S” blade, or a hand grater
Preparation
1. WASH the cauliflower and remove any leaves. Remove the main stem and set it aside for another purpose†. The fine stems that hold the florets together need not be removed.
2. CUT or break the florets into chunks so they better fit into your food processor. Attach the ‘S’ blade and place the florettes into the processor bowl. Pulse until the cauliflower is the texture of couscous (coarse grains) or until all large lumps disappear. Do not over-process, as this will result in mushy cauliflower rice when cooked. If you have a particularly large cauliflower, or a small processor or hand grater, you may have to do this in batches.
3. MICROWAVE for 3 minutes. Microwaving retains more moisture than dry-frying or oven baking, and is CauliRice’s preferred method. Place the cauliflower rice into a microwave-safe dish. Add a teaspoon of water—no more, or the cauliflower rice will become too wet. Cover the dish with plastic wrap or a lid. Cook for 3 minutes at 900 watts.
4. LEAVE the cauliflower rice covered, and let it stand for another 2-3 minutes. It will continue cooking in its own heat. Add seasoning to taste and serve.
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[4] Homemade cauliflower rice from TheKitchn.com. Here’s their recipe and a video.
[5] Cauliflower rice from Trader Joe’s (photo © Trader Joe’s).
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†You can steam and slice or purée it, finely dice or slice and add to salads, add to soups and stews, etc. You can also stick it in the freezer and decide later.
TO DRY FRY
1. HEAT a tablespoon of your preferred cooking oil in a non-stick frying pan. Add the cauliflower bits and spread evenly across the base of the pan. Cover the pan and cook for approximately 7-8 minutes, stirring every minute or so, until the cauliflower is slightly crispy on the outside but tender on the inside. If you prefer a less crispy cauliflower rice, add a tablespoon of water to the pan about halfway through cooking—but be sure to cook this added moisture off before serving.
2. Add seasoning to taste, and serve.
TO OVEN COOK
Oven cooking produces a drier, crunchier cauliflower rice that some people prefer, although it gives a less rice-like effect.
1. PREHEAT the oven to 425°F. Spread the cauliflower pieces evenly across a baking sheet. Bake for 15 minutes, turning the cauliflower every 5 minutes or so.
2. REMOVE from the oven, add seasoning to taste and serve.
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