A simple side dish packed with both flavor and nutrition, roasted, caramelized cauliflower with lemony tahini sauce can be a main course served over a grain or a side dish for chicken or pork. The trick to roasting cauliflower is to get the oven hot enough so the florets begin to darken and caramelize, developing roast-y flavors, but the oven should not be so hot that the florets burn before they become tender. Just before roasting, toss the cauliflower with cumin and coriander and a little crushed red pepper. Spread them in a single layer on a rimmed baking sheet; if they're packed too tightly, they'll steam instead of roast. Use two baking sheets, if you need to. Toss the roasted florets with fresh herbs. Tahini is a Middle Eastern condiment made from ground sesame seeds. To make tahini sauce (whisk it while the cauliflower cooks), mix grated garlic and lemon juice together and let them stand for 10 minutes to mellow the raw garlic flavor. Stir the lemon juice into the tahini. This is where the recipe gets kind of like a science project. Adding liquid to tahini will at first cause the carbohydrates to clump together, creating a stiff, lumpy paste. But as you slowly stir in more liquid -- olive oil and cold water -- the tahini will loosen. Start with only one tablespoon of water and add more if needed, until the sauce has reached your desired consistency. Again, finish with fresh herbs. Try the tahini sauce on burger buns, drizzle it over falafel or tacos, or serve it chilled as a dip for pita chips, pretzels, or crudites.

1. Set the oven at 425 degrees. Have on hand 2 rimmed baking sheets.

2. In a large bowl, toss the cauliflower florets with 2 tablespoons of the olive oil. Add the cumin, coriander, red pepper, salt, and black pepper. Toss well. Transfer the florets to a baking sheet. Spread them in a single layer, making sure they are cut sides down if they have a cut side. Use the second baking sheet if there isn't enough space on the first one.

3. Roast the cauliflower in the bottom half of the oven for 35 to 45 minutes, or until it has cooked through and begun to caramelize.

4. In a bowl, toss the hot florets with 1 tablespoon of the parsley and 1 tablespoon of the chives.

5. While the cauliflower roasts, make the tahini sauce. In a bowl combine the garlic, lemon rind, and juice. Let sit for 10 minutes.

6. In another bowl stir the tahini. Add the lemon juice mixture; it will turn quite thick. Slowly stir in the remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil and 1 tablespoon cold water. If the sauce is still too thick, add a more water, 1 teaspoon at a time.

7. Season the sauce with salt and black pepper. Stir in the remaining 1 tablespoon parsley and remaining 1 tablespoon chives. Serve the hot cauliflower with the sauce on the side.

A simple side dish packed with both flavor and nutrition, roasted, caramelized cauliflower with lemony tahini sauce can be a main course served over a grain or a side dish for chicken or pork. The trick to roasting cauliflower is to get the oven hot enough so the florets begin to darken and caramelize, developing roast-y flavors, but the oven should not be so hot that the florets burn before they become tender. Just before roasting, toss the cauliflower with cumin and coriander and a little crushed red pepper. Spread them in a single layer on a rimmed baking sheet; if they're packed too tightly, they'll steam instead of roast. Use two baking sheets, if you need to. Toss the roasted florets with fresh herbs. Tahini is a Middle Eastern condiment made from ground sesame seeds. To make tahini sauce (whisk it while the cauliflower cooks), mix grated garlic and lemon juice together and let them stand for 10 minutes to mellow the raw garlic flavor. Stir the lemon juice into the tahini. This is where the recipe gets kind of like a science project. Adding liquid to tahini will at first cause the carbohydrates to clump together, creating a stiff, lumpy paste. But as you slowly stir in more liquid -- olive oil and cold water -- the tahini will loosen. Start with only one tablespoon of water and add more if needed, until the sauce has reached your desired consistency. Again, finish with fresh herbs. Try the tahini sauce on burger buns, drizzle it over falafel or tacos, or serve it chilled as a dip for pita chips, pretzels, or crudites.

1head cauliflower, cut into 2-inch florets3tablespoons olive oil1tablespoon ground cumin1½teaspoons ground coriander Pinch of crushed red pepper Salt and black pepper, to taste2tablespoons chopped fresh parsley2tablespoons chopped fresh chives1clove garlic, grated Grated rind and juice of 1 lemon⅓ cup tahini1tablespoon cold water, or more if needed

1. Set the oven at 425 degrees. Have on hand 2 rimmed baking sheets.

2. In a large bowl, toss the cauliflower florets with 2 tablespoons of the olive oil. Add the cumin, coriander, red pepper, salt, and black pepper. Toss well. Transfer the florets to a baking sheet. Spread them in a single layer, making sure they are cut sides down if they have a cut side. Use the second baking sheet if there isn't enough space on the first one.

3. Roast the cauliflower in the bottom half of the oven for 35 to 45 minutes, or until it has cooked through and begun to caramelize.

4. In a bowl, toss the hot florets with 1 tablespoon of the parsley and 1 tablespoon of the chives.

5. While the cauliflower roasts, make the tahini sauce. In a bowl combine the garlic, lemon rind, and juice. Let sit for 10 minutes.

6. In another bowl stir the tahini. Add the lemon juice mixture; it will turn quite thick. Slowly stir in the remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil and 1 tablespoon cold water. If the sauce is still too thick, add a more water, 1 teaspoon at a time.

7. Season the sauce with salt and black pepper. Stir in the remaining 1 tablespoon parsley and remaining 1 tablespoon chives. Serve the hot cauliflower with the sauce on the side.Karoline Boehm Goodnick

Work at Boston Globe Media