Is Cauliflower the New Brussels Sprout?

Classic white cauliflower from Nairobi

Now that Brussels sprouts are the new fab food, gracing fancy menus in New York, Paris, and even Nairobi, are cauliflowers next?

According to our housekeeper, an astute woman and farmer, cauliflower is a very lucrative crop here in Kenya – more so than spinach or broccoli. “Everybody grows spinach,” she says with a smile. She grows cauliflower and can attest to the fact that demand is high, not only from restaurant suppliers in Nairobi but also those who come from the coastal city of Mombasa.

Traditional Kenyan food tends to be bland and built around a few key staples. They mostly include maize meal or beans, greens, and for those who can afford it, grilled meat (generally goat). For flavor, there might be a few tomatoes or onions.

But coastal Kenyan food is a whole different story. The coast is populated by traders and seafarers, whose Swahili culture and cuisine reflect a fusion of influences from India, Arabia, and the Horn of Africa. The food is delicate, spicy, and delicious. The fish and seafood typically come directly from the crystal blue waters of the Indian Ocean. But most of the grain and produce are brought down from the cooler, dryer, and higher climates of central Kenya, including the Nairobi area. 

Indian food is popular in Nairobi as well as the coast, due to the presence of a highly influential population of Kenyans of South Asian heritage. Cauliflower holds its own in this cuisine, found in everything from curries and chutneys to dishes like aloo gobi and gobi fry.

The name cauliflower means cabbage flower, and like its more popular cousin the Brussels sprout, it is a member of the cabbage family Brassicaceae. Other related vegetables include cabbage, of course, but also bok choy, broccoli, kale, and collard greens. Interestingly, artichokes don’t make this list, as they are actually a kind of thistle and related to things like sunflowers and chrysanthemums.

Mark Twain qualified cauliflower as “nothing but cabbage with a college education." But the fact is that, like its cabbage family cousins, cauliflower is something of a super food.

Though very low in calories (<30/cup), cauliflower is highly nutritious. One cup provides a whopping 73% of the daily-recommended doses of vitamin C, along with a respectable list of other nutrients like vitamins B and K, folate, fiber, omega-3, manganese, potassium, and protein. It is said to be high in antioxidants and anti-inflammatory compounds, and credited with helping to prevent heart disease and cancer, while boosting bone health, digestion, and eye health.

There are hundreds of varieties of cauliflower, and it comes in a rainbow of colors. The most familiar is the snowy white version, but there are also orange, green, and purple varieties. Perhaps the most stunning is the green Romanesco variety. It features a shape made up of fractal spiral curds and looks like something that may have been grown under the ocean, or in a Dr. Seuss book.

Green Romanesco variety straight out of Dr. Seuss

Interestingly, the different varieties all taste the same, though their nutritional values vary a bit. The orange ones have more vitamin A, and the purple ones contain anthocyanins (also found in blueberries, grapes, and eggplant, among others), which may offer further anti-cancer and anti-inflammatory benefits.

Purple cauliflower

Cauliflower is a very versatile food. It can be eaten raw, roasted, stir-fried, mashed, microwaved, steamed, sautéed, pickled, puréed, shredded, and in everything from soups or salads to curries, casseroles, and more. For dieters, it is a good alternative to starches. An easy web search brings up all sorts of recipes for cauliflower-based carb substitutes, such as cauliflower rice, cauliflower muffins, cauliflower bagel, cauliflower pizza, cauliflower breadsticks, even cauliflower tater tots. The wide variety of recipes and articles about cauliflower also suggests that it is quietly becoming a foodie favorite.

So, while I’m not taking bets, I am rooting for the humble “cabbage flower.” I’m not sure I’ll be making cauliflower muffins any day soon, but I will be doing my part to support the local demand.