Pit Roasted Whole Curry Cauliflower

Smoking meat in your pit is wonderful but did you know that smoking vegetables is also fun and delicious. You just need some creative ways to take your veggies up a notch in your smoker. I like to serve veggies when I serve BBQ and besides the old standbys like coleslaw and potatoes, and sometimes even grilled cabbage, I enjoy pit roasted whole cauliflowers. I drew my inspiration from India and Japan where, believe it or not, curry is an extremely popular dish in Japan. The Japanese have embraced Indian curry albeit a sweeter and pastier version. Instead of yogurt or coconut milk, they use a roux and pureed vegetables like carrot or potatoes. I like both Indian and Japanese style curry and since the Japanese curries are a little sweeter, they work well in my pit roasted cauliflower recipe.

This dish uses mayonnaise as a base to blend in a curry paste. Use vegan mayonnaise if you prefer. I used store bought Japanese curry past so it’s an easy dish to make. You can serve it as a side dish or for your vegetarian friends, it could hold its own as a main course. You can cook it to the tenderness you like and no shame if you do this in the oven. In fact, sometimes I cook for 40 minutes in the oven before I put it in my pit for another 30 minutes to get some smoke. You can also start in the smoker and finish in the oven. I don’t use any wood when I smoke as the light smoke from the briquettes is enough to kiss the cauliflower with a flavorful smoke. So the next time you want to serve a creative veggie side dish, try my pit roasted whole curry cauliflower. Cook a few more heads as it chills and reheats very well.