Spiced Cauliflower Chraime Is My Favorite Meatless Dish for Passover

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Chraime is a spicy North African fish stew, popular with Sephardic Jews for Rosh Hashana, Passover and Shabbat. The word “chraime” has roots in an Arabic word meaning “hot.” This meatless version highlights cauliflower, stewed until tender, studded with plump and juicy golden raisins and drizzled with date syrup. Served over couscous, rice or quinoa, this sweet and spicy tomato-based stew is a great weeknight meal. Excerpted from Nosh: Plant-Forward Recipes Celebrating Modern Jewish Cuisine, by Micah Siva. Copyright 2024 by Micah Siva. Published by The Collective Book Studio. Reprinted with permission.

a recipe for the Spiced Cauliflower Chraime
Photo:

Micah Siva

Active Time:
30 mins
Total Time:
45 mins
Servings:
6

When I was growing up, the kitchen island was the hub of our home. It’s where family conversations were had, arguments fought and memories made, usually while digging into a meal that had bubbled away on the stove all day, steaming up the windows of the kitchen. It’s where my parents, who spent a year traveling when they were newly married, shared stories of those travels with my sister and me while we dug into hummus, stuffed grape leaves and stewed okra one day, and roast brisket, mashed potatoes and cabbage soup the next. 

Their penchant for travel took us on our first family trip to Israel when I was 12. We stayed with our cousin, Yossi, in Tel Aviv. He labored over a hot stove, even on sweltering summer days, making dishes that he had grown up with. Everything he made was delicious, but my favorite dish was a spicy chraime, a fragrant fish stew of North African descent, particularly enjoyed in Libya and Morocco. To this day, I can still conjure up the meal by memory, bringing me back to his apartment during that special family trip.

Chraime is also a typical dish of Sephardic Jews—those hailing from Spain, Portugal, North Africa and the Middle East. The stew classically features white fish (either whole or in fillets) in a spicy tomato broth. But in my version of chraime, I forgo the fish for one of my favorite vegetables—cauliflower. I find that cauliflower is a hearty replacement for the fish, taking on the flavor and color of the spice-laced stew, even flaking apart a bit once it gets meltingly tender, just like the fish would. I leave the sauce chunky with vegetables, and a drizzle of sweet date syrup at the end balances the acidity of the tomatoes. Sometimes, for added protein, I’ll add a can of chickpeas or cubes of tofu.

The fragrant stew is often served on Friday evenings for Shabbat, the Jewish day of rest. But chraime also appears for celebratory meals like Rosh Hashana and Passover, perfect for the latter for its lack of chametz, or forbidden ingredients, such as grains and leavened breads. I think it’s delicious anytime—I especially like to let it bubble away while a loaf of challah bakes. 

This vegan adaptation of chraime may not be traditional, but it brings me back to the day I tried it for the first time. When, on a sunny day in Tel Aviv, a steaming bowl of comfort fogged up the windows, just like my mom’s homemade meals did in my childhood kitchen, a sure sign that no matter where you might find yourself, the kitchen will always be a source of warmth, comfort and family, as long as you have something delicious to eat, and others to enjoy it with.

Ingredients

  • 1 small head cauliflower

  • 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

  • 1/2 medium white onion, cut into 1/2-inch pieces

  • 3 tablespoons tomato paste

  • 3 cloves garlic, finely chopped

  • 4 teaspoons smoked paprika

  • 2 teaspoons ground turmeric

  • 1 teaspoon ground coriander

  • 1 teaspoon ground cumin

  • 1 teaspoon ground ginger

  • 1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper

  • 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon

  • 1/4 teaspoon sea salt

  • 1 1/4 cups low-sodium vegetable broth

  • 1/2 cup canned diced tomatoes (undrained)

  • 1/2 cup golden raisins

  • 2 tablespoons lemon juice

  • 2 teaspoons date syrup or pure maple syrup

  • 1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro

Directions

  1. Remove leaves from cauliflower and trim stem. Leaving core intact, cut the cauliflower into 6 wedges.

  2. Heat oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add onion; cook, stirring occasionally, until it begins to soften, 5 to 6 minutes. Add tomato paste, garlic, smoked paprika, turmeric, coriander, cumin, ginger, crushed red pepper, cinnamon and salt; stir until combined. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the mixture has darkened and the spices are fragrant, 2 to 3 minutes. Add broth, tomatoes, raisins and lemon juice; stir to combine.

  3. Arrange the cauliflower wedges in the pan in a single layer; bring to a boil. Reduce heat to maintain a simmer; cover, and cook until the cauliflower is tender, 15 to 20 minutes.

  4. Drizzle with date (or maple) syrup and sprinkle with cilantro before serving.

To make ahead

Refrigerate for up to 5 days.

EatingWell.com, April 2024

Nutrition Facts (per serving)

151 Calories
5g Fat
26g Carbs
4g Protein
Nutrition Facts
Servings Per Recipe 6
Serving Size 1 cauliflower wedge & 1/3 cup sauce
Calories 151
% Daily Value *
Total Carbohydrate 26g 9%
Dietary Fiber 5g 20%
Total Sugars 14g
Protein 4g 9%
Total Fat 5g 7%
Saturated Fat 1g 5%
Cholesterol 0mg 0%
Vitamin A 134µg
Vitamin C 74mg 82%
Vitamin D 0µg
Vitamin E 2mg 13%
Folate 86µg
Vitamin K 33µg
Sodium 194mg 8%
Calcium 69mg 5%
Iron 3mg 14%
Magnesium 43mg 10%
Potassium 771mg 16%
Zinc 1mg 7%
Vitamin B12 0µg
Omega 3 0g

Nutrition information is calculated by a registered dietitian using an ingredient database but should be considered an estimate.

* Daily Values (DVs) are the recommended amounts of nutrients to consume each day. Percent Daily Value (%DV) found on nutrition labels tells you how much a serving of a particular food or recipe contributes to each of those total recommended amounts. Per the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), the daily value is based on a standard 2,000 calorie diet. Depending on your calorie needs or if you have a health condition, you may need more or less of particular nutrients. (For example, it’s recommended that people following a heart-healthy diet eat less sodium on a daily basis compared to those following a standard diet.)

(-) Information is not currently available for this nutrient. If you are following a special diet for medical reasons, be sure to consult with your primary care provider or a registered dietitian to better understand your personal nutrition needs.

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