Three Ways with Cauliflower Rice

Rice has always been part of our everyday meals. Our main meals are almost always paired with steamed rice. Most of our snack items are also rice-based like steamed rice cakes (puto, kutsinta, biko, kalamay etc.) or rice porridges (champorado, ginataang mais etc). Since our change to LCHF lifestyle, I had to find a replacement for rice or else I don’t think I would ever succeed in it.

There are plenty of recipes for cauli-rice online and the instruction is fairly simple – just steam/microwave grated cauliflower, add salt (and butter for added flavour) and its done! Following that procedure, I find it still having a sulfuric smell which I don’t like. To lessen the odor, I change water twice when I microwave it. Then I stir fry it in oil with garlic & salt until its cooked. Some nutrients may be washed off but I’m trying to make it as similar to the rice taste we grew up eating.

From the basic cauli-rice, we also make two other variations at home – Yang Chow Cauli-Rice and Masala Cauli-Rice.  Yang Chow Fried Cauli-rice is what we usually see in Chinese Restaurants. It has scrambled eggs, mixed vegetables, some type of meat & soy sauce.  Masala Cauli-Rice, on the otherhand, is full of Indian spices.

Cauliflower rice lasts us around 5 days. Serving size is 1/2 cup. We store store cauli-rice in airtight containera. I keep half in the fridge and the other half in the freezer.

Cauliflower Rice

Ingredients

1 big head of cauliflower
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 tbsp coconut oil
Salt to taste

Procedure

Grate cauliflower head into grainy bits. If using food processor, cut the head into small florets before processing. Transfer grated cauliflower into a microwaveable container.

Add 1 cup water, cover and microwave on high for 3 minutes. Drain. Repeat this process again. Set aside.

Heat 2 tablespoons coconut oil. Saute minced garlic until soft. Add grated cauliflower and stir/mix. Season with salt and pepper according to your taste. Continue sauteing until cooked between 5 – 10 minutes.

Yields 6 to 8 cups depending on the size of the cauliflower

Serve hot.

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Yang Chow Fried Cauli-Rice

Ingredients:

2 teaspoons cooking oil
1 small onion, chopped
3 cups cooked cauli-rice
1 cup frozen mixed vegetables
1 large egg
1 tablespoon soy sauce
salt & pepper to taste

Procedure:

In a non-stck pan, saute onion in oil under medium heat. Add in cauli rice and mixed vegetables. Stir until combined & mixed vegetables are soft.

Make a well in the center of the rice and pour in egg. Stir continously until egg is cooked and mixed well with the rice. Add soy sauce & season with salt and pepper. Continue mixing until cooked & dry.

Serve hot!

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Masala Cauli-Rice

Ingredients

2 teaspoons cooking oil
1 small onion, chopped
1/4 teaspoon black mustard seeds
1/4 teaspoon cumin seeds
1/4 teaspoon fenugreek
1/4 teaspoon chili flakes
1/2 teaspoon garam masala
1/2 teaspoon ground coriander
1/2 teaspoon ground tumeric
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
3 cups cooked cauli-rice
salt & pepper to taste

Procedure:

Heat up non-stick frying pan at medium setting. Saute onion until soft & transluscent. Add all the spices and continue to saute until fragrant. Add the cauli-rice and stir until spices are evenly combined and the cauli-rice is dry.

Serve hot!