This recipe for Harissa Prawns with Coconut Cauliflower Rice is proof that eating healthily does not mean you have to miss out on flavour. Not only is this dish packed full of flavour, it’s also easy to make and can be on the table in under 30 minutes!
I have really fallen in love with cauliflower rice – not only is it a great way of cutting down the calories, but it’s also a fab way to sneak in extra veggies…I also just really love the taste – so much better (in my humble opinion) than plain steamed cauliflower.
Cauliflower rice is nice enough plain, but it is even better jazzed up with a few extra ingredients. And it seems you guys agree! One of my most popular recipes on this blog at the moment is my Indian Spiced Cauliflower Rice, which goes super well served with one of my easy peasy curries, for a lovely healthier take on a traditional takeaway favourite.
Well, today I am sharing my new favourite: Coconut Cauliflower Rice. This version of cauliflower rice is so, so simple to make and takes just 5 minutes, but is soooo delicious! Simply blitz your cauliflower in a food processor or high speed blender (I use my fabulous Froothie Optimum G2.3) until it roughly resembles rice, then fry it up in a large saucepan or wok with some cumin seeds and creamed coconut for 3 minutes, scatter with fresh coriander and serve!
If you haven’t tried creamed coconut yet you have to try it – it’s amazing stuff. 100% coconut, milled and pressed into a block to use in cooking. You can either turn it into coconut milk by mixing with boiling water or add it straight into recipes, like I’ve done here. It’s more flexible that coconut milk and doesn’t have any weird and wonderful ingredients (ever checked the back of the tin of coconut milk? There are often some rather strange ingredients!). It’s particularly useful in recipes like this where you don’t want the extra liquid (you really, really don’t want soggy cauliflower rice!). My favourite creamed coconut is from Pataks: it comes in 4 separate 50g sachets so you can use as much or as little as you like with no mess.
This Coconut Cauliflower Rice would work brilliantly with one of my curries, tagines or Thai recipes like my Thai Chicken Traybake, Thai Red Tofu and Sweet Potato Curry or my Thai Massaman Beef Curry. But I’ve teamed it up here with another of my new favourite recipes: Harissa Prawns. Such a simple and delicious dish – the prawns work so well with the garlicky, spicy flavours of the harissa, together with the delicious rich tomato sauce and Mediterranean veggies, it’s a healthy, flavour packed meal that’s ready in a very short space of time.
If you are not a fan of cauliflower rice or you feel you need a few more carbs in your life, then you could simply serve the Harissa Prawns with regular white or brown rice.
One small note – if you are going to make the cauliflower rice: make sure you get the cauliflower all blitzed into ‘rice’ and ready to cook first, as you won’t have much time after you’ve started cooking!
If you want to make a vegetarian or vegan version of this recipe, you could substitute the prawns for chickpeas – simply add in your chickpeas at the same point in the recipe (I suggest 2 x 400g cans, drained) and keep everything else the same.
My personal wine pick for this dish would be a crisp and zingy Sauvignon Blanc, which just goes so well with garlicky, spicy prawns and tomatoey sauces, and will complement the Coconut Cauliflower Rice really well too.
Harissa Prawns with Coconut Cauliflower Rice
Ingredients
Harissa Prawns
- 400 g king prawns (raw or cooked – it really doesn’t matter for this recipe)
- Juice of 1 lemon
- 6 teaspoons mild harissa paste (I used Tesco Ingredients)
- 1 tablespoon coconut oil, mild olive oil or rapeseed oil
- 1 onion sliced
- 1 medium courgette cut into slices or half moons
- 1 red pepper cut into bite-sized chunks
- 1 yellow pepper cut into bite-sized chunks
- 3 cloves garlic crushed or grated
- 350 ml passata (or a 400g/14oz tin chopped tomatoes)
- Salt and pepper to taste
- 1 tablespoon honey or to taste
Coconut Cauliflower Rice
- 1 tablespoon coconut oil, mild olive oil or rapeseed oil
- 1 teaspoon cumin seeds
- 100 g creamed coconut (I used Pataks)
- 1 medium cauliflower blitzed to a rice like texture or chopped finely
- 2 tablespoons fresh coriander chopped (plus extra for garnish)
Instructions
Harissa Prawns
- Mix the harissa and lemon juice together in a large bowl and add the prawns. Turn the prawns in the marinade and then set aside for 10 minutes to marinate (or put in the fridge and marinate for up to an hour).
- In a large frying pan or wok, add the onion and 1 tablespoon of oil and stir fry over a high heat for 2-3 minutes until the onion is just starting to brown.
- Throw in the courgette and peppers and continue to stir fry until the courgette is nicely browned (another 2-3 minutes), then turn down the heat a little and add the garlic. Fry for 1 more minute.
- Add the passata (or chopped tomatoes), salt and pepper. Bring to the boil, then turn down the heat and simmer for 5 minutes.
- Finally, add the prawns and all the marinade, plus the honey, and cook for 3-5 minutes until the prawns are fully cooked and piping hot.
Coconut Cauliflower Rice
- The best time to make your cauliflower rice is whilst the tomato and vegetable mixture is simmering and before you add the prawns. That way you can focus all your attention on the rice, without having to juggle pans.
- First, put 1 tablespoon of oil in a large frying pan or wok, add the cumin seeds and gently fry for 1 minute over a low heat. Add the creamed coconut and allow to gently melt.
- Add the chopped cauliflower and turn up the heat to medium-high. Stir fry for 3 minutes until the cauliflower is cooked through, but still has a good amount of ‘bite’, and is just tinged with a touch of brown (for extra tastiness!).
- Turn off the heat and stir through the fresh coriander.
To Serve
- Divide the Coconut Cauliflower Rice between 4 plates. Top with the Harissa Prawns and a generous scattering of coriander – dig in and feel super virtuous 🙂
Notes
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Louise Fairweather says
I keep meaning to try cauliflower rice. Looks lovely #cookblogshare
Eb Gargano says
It’s really nice – and super simple (or at least the way I make it, it is!) I would really recommend that you try it! Eb x
Angela / Only Crumbs Remain says
ooh I love the sound of that coconut cauliflower rice Eb! Scrummy!
Angela x
Eb Gargano says
Thanks Angela – it really is!! 🙂
Helen says
That looks so good! I haven’t had cauliflower rice in ages but I might just make it tonight now as I always really enjoy it 🙂
Eb Gargano says
It’s so good, isn’t it? Hope you enjoyed it if you made it!! Eb x
Monika Dabrowski says
You are the queen of under 30 minute meals! This looks fabulous, as always, I especially love the idea of the cauliflower rice, must try it:)
Eb Gargano says
Hahaha – thanks for that accolade Monika…I will put that in my trophy cabinet next to my Queen of Traybakes title given to me by Mandy 😉 I am a huge fan of quick and easy meals – I have so little time usually, but I firmly believe that just because you only have 30 minutes, doesn’t mean you can’t also have a great tasting homecooked meal. 😀 Eb x
Claire says
I seriously wish I was there when you made this! My mouth is watering here. And yes this dish has a lot of ingredients I love so I just need to buy cauliflower rice and I can give it a go! Tks Eb X
Eb Gargano says
Haha – thanks Claire…I so wish there was a way I could send my food via the internet, so your wish could be granted – maybe one day that will be possible, hey? (The next generation of 3D printers, maybe… 😀 ) Let me know how it goes, if you make it! Eb x
Karen, the next best thing to mummy says
These all look amazing as I just love prawns and cauliflower is my favourite vegetable I am definitely going to give this one a try #brilliantblogs@_karendennis
Eb Gargano says
Thanks Karen 🙂 Cauliflower is awesome, isn’t it? And the addition of coconut and cumin makes it even better!! Do let me know how you get on if you make it 🙂 Eb x
Jenny Paulin says
ooooh now this looks delicious! I adore prawns – shame no one else in my family will eat them though. x
Eb Gargano says
Aw – that is a shame…you’ll have to make this when they are all out!! 😀 Eb x
Chloe says
Oh wow this looks incredible #freefromfridays
Eb Gargano says
Aw, thanks Chloe 🙂 It is super yummy!! Eb x
chloe says
Hi, I love both prawns and cauliflower rice do can’t wait to give this recipe a try #FreeFromFridays
Eb Gargano says
Yey! Me too. And they work so well together. Enjoy!! Eb x
Eb Gargano says
Aaargh, I know. Predictive text is so annoying sometimes!! Xx
Charlotte Oates says
I’ve not tried creamed coconut before, after reading this I’m going to get to some try next time I’m at the supermarket. I’d imagine that it would work well for adding a coconut flavour to baking too, what do you think?
Eb Gargano says
Do! It’s fab stuff. I always keep some in the cupboard…it has the added bonus of taking up a lot less space than tins of coconut milk. I don’t think I’ve ever used it in baking, but I’m sure it would work brilliantly. It’s great if you want to add coconut flavour but no extra liquid. Eb x
Corina says
This sounds really delicious! I discovered how good creamed coconut is in a curry recently and I love the idea of trying it in cauliflower rice. It’ll definitely be going on my shopping list this week along with a cauliflower. Thank you so much for sharing with #CookOnceEatTwice x
Eb Gargano says
Yey – it’s fab stuff, isn’t it? Hope you enjoy the cauliflower rice! Let me know what you think!! Eb x
Mandy says
Sounds like a great recipe Eb – that pataks coconut cream sounds good too – I always end up with a half used pack at the back of the cupboard!
Eb Gargano says
Yey – I’m glad to have found another creamed coconut fan!! And now you know what to do with that half used pack – cauliflower rice!! And I know how much you love cauliflower…You could easily switch the prawns for chickpeas to make this veggie. 🙂 Eb x
Julie's Family Kitchen says
Ooh! The prawns look super tasty and ready in under 30 minutes too, sounds perfect. 🙂 x
Eb Gargano says
Thanks Julie! The prawns really are super tasty – they go so well with those tomato/garlic/chilli flavours – and yes, I am a big fan of 30 minute meals!! Eb x