Niall Keating's tempura cauliflower bites

2 medium cauliflowers

1 lemon, zest and juice

1 tablespoon olive oil

Chopped chives

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

For the tempura cauliflower

75g rice flour, plus a little extra for dusting

75g cornflour

180–220ml cold soda water

Vegetable oil, for shallow frying

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

1 tablespoon pumpkin seeds

1 tablespoon sesame seeds

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 tablespoon balsamic glaze

2 tablespoons pomegranate seeds

A small handful of coriander, roughly chopped

Cut one cauliflower into bite-sized florets, setting aside its stalk, tender leaves and any offcuts. Bring a saucepan of lightly salted water to a simmer. Add the florets and cook until just tender, about 3–4 minutes. Drain well, spread out on kitchen paper and leave to cool and dry thoroughly.

To make the cauliflower rice, grate the second cauliflower and the reserved raw stalk and offcuts on the coarse side of a grater. Alternatively, pulse them briefly in a food processor until it resembles couscous. Finely chop any tender leaves and mix them in.

Add the lemon zest and a squeeze of juice to the cauliflower couscous, along with 1 tablespoon olive oil, salt and pepper. Toss through chopped chives. Set aside.

Toast the pumpkin and sesame seeds in a dry frying pan over a medium heat, stirring frequently, until lightly golden. Tip them onto a plate so they do not continue cooking in the hot pan.

Pour enough vegetable oil into a small, deep-sided frying pan to reach a depth of around 1–2cm. Heat to approximately 175°C. If you do not have a thermometer, a little batter dropped into the oil should sizzle immediately and rise to the surface; the oil should not be smoking.

Mix the rice flour and cornflour with a little salt and pepper. Put a spoonful of the dry flour mixture onto a plate. Just before frying, lightly stir enough cold soda water into the remaining flour mixture to make a thin batter. Do not worry if it has a few lumps.

Pat the cooled cauliflower florets dry. Dust them lightly in the reserved flour mixture, then dip them into the batter. Carefully lower a few florets at a time into the hot oil. Fry for around 2–3 minutes, turning once, until crisp and golden. Lift them out with a slotted spoon and drain on kitchen paper. Repeat with the remaining florets.

Mix the 2 tablespoons olive oil with the balsamic glaze. Spoon the cauliflower couscous onto plates and arrange the tempura bites on top. Drizzle with a little dressing and scatter over the toasted seeds, pomegranate seeds and coriander. Serve immediately.