Coconut Gobi Sabji
Tamarind. Coconut milk. Tomatoes. This cauliflower curry is as bold as they come.
A traditional Kashmiri gobi sabji is often earthy and deep. But give the cauliflower a bit of South Indian love and all of a sudden a rather straight-laced vegetable takes on a vibrant rebel yell of a vibe. The best part apart this sabji is that—once the frying in the mustard oil is complete—it is a quick compilation with a short cooking time. Really just five to seven minutes. The sabji itself packs so much punch that it is a complete meal with chapati or a steaming bowl of beautifully cooked basmati.
Find out more about cauliflower >
Recipe Details
Serves: 2 as a main. 4 as a side sabji.
Prep time: 20 minutes
Cooking time: 20 minutes. Dietary Style: Gluten free | Dairy free option | Vegetarian | Vegan option
Ingredients
TO FRY
- 2 cups mustard oil
- 1.5 cauliflowers, broken into florets
MASALA PREP
- 2 small tomatoes, finely diced
MAIN MASALA
- 4 tbps ghee
- 1.5 tsp fine white sea salt
- 1/2 tsp turmeric powder
- 1 tsp Kashmiri chilli powder
- heavy teaspoon ginger powder
- heavy 2 tsp fennel powder
- heavy 2 tsp coriander powder
- 1 tsp tamarind concentrate
- 2 tbsp cold water
FINISHING MASALA
- 1 cup coconut milk
- 8 to 10 fresh curry leaves
DAIRY FREE | VEGAN OPTION
- Coconut oil in place of ghee
Method
How to make this coconut cauliflower sabji recipe.
STEP 1
In a cast iron wok, kadai, or deep pot heat the mustard oil until almost smoking and then fry the cauliflower in batches until soft on the inside and a little caramelised on the outside. Drain on kitchen towel or newspaper. Set aside.
STEP 2
Cut two small tomatoes into dice. Set aside.
STEP 3
In a second kadai or medium-sized frying pan, heat 2 tbsp of ghee and heat through on a medium heat until warm. Add the main masala—the white sea salt, turmeric powder, Kashmiri chilli powder, ginger powder, fennel powder and coriander powder. Bring together on low heat and keep cooking until the tomatoes split a little and the oil comes through the masala. It should be a rich and spicy slurry. Add the tamarind concentrate and stir through along with the 2 tbsp of cold water.
STEP 4
Add back the fried cauliflower and let cook in the masala for around 10 minutes on medium heat. Don’t short cut this part of the cook—the cauliflower and the masala do have to meet each other properly at this point of the cook. After 10 minutes, add the coconut milk and curry leaves. Stir through and simmer a few minutes, until a little of the oil from the masala splits through the coconut milk.
Serve with rice.
Learn more about cauliflower
Can I use cauliflower raw in curry?
It is possible to not pre-cook the cauliflower before working into masala, but the taste profile will change: pre frying the cauliflower makes for a quicker cooking time, and also allows the gobi to take on more of the masala
Do I have to fry the cauliflower in mustard oil?
No. But frying cauliflower in mustard oil imbues the vegetable with added texture and taste. Mustard oil will put out cauliflower’s recessed darkness and give its cool, raw and milky taste an additional character.
Is fried cauliflower healthy?
Fried cauliflower has more calories than raw cauliflower. But the art of masala values taste as a health giving property. Anything in moderation.
Do I have to fry the cauliflower?
No. You can roast the cauliflower in the oven, char it on a hot plate or barbecue, or cook it under a grill.
More Recipes
