Think cauliflower could never steal the spotlight? This whole roasted cauliflower / gobi - first steamed, then air-fried or oven roasted and drenched in creamy masala sauce becomes the showstopper & crowd pleaser at any table. One bite and you’ll never look at cauliflower the same way! It all comes together in 30 minutes .
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- Video Recipe
- Ingredient Notes
- Instructions
- Serving suggestions
- Anvita’s Top Tip
- Common Mistakes and how to fix them
- Related
- Whole Roasted Cauliflower in Tikka Masala Sauce in 30 minutes
Inspired by my Nani’s Gobi Musallam, this whole roasted cauliflower has become a Thanksgiving staple. My Nani made the best Gobi Musallam, stuffed it with nuts and paneer and then coated it with masala before cooking it. I have adapted her recipe to make it practical to cook this during the holidays.
Video Recipe
Ingredient Notes
Here is just a gist of the ingredients, the detailed ingredients and quantities are in the recipe card below.
- Cauliflower : For a family of 4, I use a small cauliflower however for a larger gathering you can use two large cauliflowers. Make sure you dunk the cauliflower in water upside down several times, to get rid of any worms if any. Cleaning and trimming the stem is essential so that the cauliflower sits flat)
- Marinade : Using hung curd or greek yogurt is essential for the marinade. I added the classic, turmeric, kashmiri chili powder, coriander powder, dhaniya powder, chaat masala, ginger garlic and green chili paste. Do not skip the besan in the marinade, it helps the marinade stick on the cauliflower. Feel free to use whatever marinade you like.
- Sauce : To keep things simple, I just made a simple yet flavorful masala sauce. Feel free to dress up the cauliflower with a tikka masala sauce, makhani sauce, white kofta sauce.
Instructions
- Prep cauliflower : Clean and remove the stems of the cauliflower. Carefully cut the base so it sits flat.
- Half cook the whole cauliflower : Add water & salt to the Instant Pot. Place the cauliflower on a trivet and place it in the Instant Pot to pressure cook the cauliflower for 0 minutes followed by quick release. If you don’t have an instant pot, just blanch the cauliflower in a pot of water for 5 minutes.
- Prep the marinade : To a bowl add the hung curd, yogurt, besan, turmeric, kashimiri red chili powder, coriander powder, chaat masala, green chili paste. Whisk together to form a thick marinade.
- Cook the Cauliflower : Coat the marinade on the cauliflower generously. You can either roast the cauliflower in the oven or air fry it. To roast in the oven, roast it on 350 F for 10 mins. For Air Fryer , place an air fryer liner in the air fryer basket. Place the whole cauliflower and in the basket and air fryer for 10 minutes at 350F just until you start seeing the charred marks.
- Prep the Sauce : While the cauliflower is air frying, to a wok or pan add oil and allow it to heat. Once hot add the chopped onions and ginger garlic paste and saute until translucent. Then add the spices, turmeric, kasmiri red chili powder, coriander powder, garam masala, crushed kasuri methi and stir until aromatic. Next add the chopped tomatoes and cook until the oil separates. Allow the mixture to cool for about 5 minutes or so and then add the mixture to a blender, add ½ a cup of water and blend until smooth. Gradually add more water if required until you get a sauce. Add the sauce back to the wok and simmer for another couple minutes with some cardamom powder.
- Dress the cauliflower : Serve the cauliflower on a platter and pour the saue over the cauliflower covering it entirely. Garnish with chopped cilantro and toasted sesame and enjoy.
Serving suggestions
I like to pair it with some jeera rice or matar pulav on the side. Raita and kachumber too. Some air fried roasted vegetables
Anvita’s Top Tip
- I highly recommend half cooking the cauliflower in the Instant Pot or blanching it as it allows the flavors to soak in but makes sure the cauliflower is firm enough for serving. Do not overcook the cauliflower or else it will break apart.
Common Mistakes and how to fix them
| Mistake | Result | How to Fix |
|---|---|---|
| Overcooking gobi | Mushy cauliflower | Half cook until just tender |
| Adding too much water to the sauc | Watery sauce | Flat flavors |
| Rushing gravy base | Flat flavor | Sauté onions/tomatoes until oil separates |
Final Thoughts
This recipe is my favorite way to turn humble cauliflower into the centerpiece of any meal. It’s creamy, packed with flavor, and always gets rave reviews from family. Try this for your next dinner or special gathering and let me know how everyone likes it!
Related
These are my favorite dishes to serve with this Gobi:
- Perfect Jeera Rice
- Restaurant Style Garlic Naan
- Easy Refreshing Tantalizing Kachumber Salad
- Tikka Masala Sauce / Tikka Masala Curry
Ingredients
- 1 whole cauliflower head
- 1 large onion diced
- 5 tomatoes diced
- 1 tablespoon ginger chopped
- 1 tablespoon garlic copped
- 3 tablespoon oil
- 1 teaspoon green cardamom powder
- ½ teaspoon turmeric powder
- 1 teaspoon coriander powder
- 1 teaspoon kashimri red chilly powder
- 1 teaspoon garam masala
- 1 tablespoon cilantro chopped
- 1 teaspoon roasted sesame seeds optional
- Salt to taste
- 2 cups water
Instructions
- Prep cauliflower: Clean and remove the stems of the cauliflower. Carefully cut the base so it sits flat.
- Half cook the whole cauliflower : Add water & salt to the Instant Pot. Place the cauliflower on a trivet and place it in the Instant Pot to pressure cook the cauliflower for 0 minutes followed by quick release. If you don’t have an Instant Pot, blanch the cauliflower in a pot of water for 5 minutes, until 60% cooked.
- Prep the marinade: To a bowl add the hung curd, yogurt, besan, turmeric, kashimiri red chili powder, coriander powder, chaat masala, green chili paste. Whisk together to form a thick marinade.
- Cook the Cauliflower: You can either roast the cauliflower in the oven or air fry it. To roast in the oven, roast it on 350 F for 10 mins. For Air Fryer , place an air fryer liner in the air fryer basket. Place the whole cauliflower and in the basket and air fryer for 10 minutes at 350F just until you start seeing the charred marks.
- Prep the Sauce: While the cauliflower
- Once hot add the chopped onions and ginger garlic paste and saute until translucent. Then add the spices, turmeric, kasmiri red chili powder, coriander powder, garam masala, crushed kasuri methi and stir until aromatic.
- Next add the chopped tomatoes and cook until the oil separates. Allow the mixture to cool for about 5 minutes or so and then add the mixture to a blender, add ½ a cup of water and blend until smooth. Gradually add more water if required until you get a sauce.
- Add the sauce back to the wok and simmer for another couple minutes with some cardamom powder.
- Once hot add the chopped onions and ginger garlic paste and saute until translucent. Then add the spices, turmeric, kasmiri red chili powder, coriander powder, garam masala, crushed kasuri methi and stir until aromatic.
- Next add the chopped tomatoes and cook until the oil separates. Allow the mixture to cool for about 5 minutes or so and then add the mixture to a blender, add ½ a cup of water and blend until smooth. Gradually add more water if required until you get a sauce.
- Add the sauce back to the wok and simmer for another couple minutes with some cardamom powder.
- Dress the cauliflower : Serve the cauliflower on a platter and pour the saue over the cauliflower covering it entirely. Garnish with chopped cilantro and toasted sesame and enjoy.
Video
Nutrition
Ingredients
- 1 whole cauliflower head
- 1 large onion diced
- 5 tomatoes diced
- 1 tablespoon ginger chopped
- 1 tablespoon garlic copped
- 3 tablespoon oil
- 1 teaspoon green cardamom powder
- ½ teaspoon turmeric powder
- 1 teaspoon coriander powder
- 1 teaspoon kashimri red chilly powder
- 1 teaspoon garam masala
- 1 tablespoon cilantro chopped
- 1 teaspoon roasted sesame seeds optional
- Salt to taste
- 2 cups water
Instructions
- Prep cauliflower: Clean and remove the stems of the cauliflower. Carefully cut the base so it sits flat.
- Half cook the whole cauliflower : Add water & salt to the Instant Pot. Place the cauliflower on a trivet and place it in the Instant Pot to pressure cook the cauliflower for 0 minutes followed by quick release. If you don’t have an Instant Pot, blanch the cauliflower in a pot of water for 5 minutes, until 60% cooked.
- Prep the marinade: To a bowl add the hung curd, yogurt, besan, turmeric, kashimiri red chili powder, coriander powder, chaat masala, green chili paste. Whisk together to form a thick marinade.
- Cook the Cauliflower: You can either roast the cauliflower in the oven or air fry it. To roast in the oven, roast it on 350 F for 10 mins. For Air Fryer , place an air fryer liner in the air fryer basket. Place the whole cauliflower and in the basket and air fryer for 10 minutes at 350F just until you start seeing the charred marks.
- Prep the Sauce: While the cauliflower
- Once hot add the chopped onions and ginger garlic paste and saute until translucent. Then add the spices, turmeric, kasmiri red chili powder, coriander powder, garam masala, crushed kasuri methi and stir until aromatic.
- Next add the chopped tomatoes and cook until the oil separates. Allow the mixture to cool for about 5 minutes or so and then add the mixture to a blender, add ½ a cup of water and blend until smooth. Gradually add more water if required until you get a sauce.
- Add the sauce back to the wok and simmer for another couple minutes with some cardamom powder.
- Once hot add the chopped onions and ginger garlic paste and saute until translucent. Then add the spices, turmeric, kasmiri red chili powder, coriander powder, garam masala, crushed kasuri methi and stir until aromatic.
- Next add the chopped tomatoes and cook until the oil separates. Allow the mixture to cool for about 5 minutes or so and then add the mixture to a blender, add ½ a cup of water and blend until smooth. Gradually add more water if required until you get a sauce.
- Add the sauce back to the wok and simmer for another couple minutes with some cardamom powder.
- Dress the cauliflower : Serve the cauliflower on a platter and pour the saue over the cauliflower covering it entirely. Garnish with chopped cilantro and toasted sesame and enjoy.
