Cauliflower Fry

Cauliflower fry recipe with step by step pics. There are various recipes that one can make with cauliflower aka gobi. One of the tastiest gobi recipe I make on occasions is this cauliflower fry recipe. Its easy and gets done in less time.

The cauliflower fry is inspired from the Kerala cuisine. I also make potato and mushroom fry this way on occasions.

There are two ways a cauliflower fry can be made. one is by shallow frying or deep frying cauliflower florets with or without marination. The technique and method will depend on the recipe. The second way is cooking cauliflower with the herbs and spices. So there are many variations possible in a cauliflower fry recipe.

In this gobi fry, I have cooked gobi with the spices and herbs. if you want you can shallow fry or deep fry the florets and then add to the onion-tomato masala base. Both ways the cauliflower fry tastes good.

The recipe used coconut oil and thus makes the dish more flavorful. Though you can even use sunflower oil in the absence of coconut oil.

This Kerala style cauliflower fry goes very well as a side dish with chapatis, pooris, paratha or bread. You can also serve it in a lunch box.

How to make cauliflower fry

A) blanching cauliflower

1. Chop or break 350 grams cauliflower in small florets. Rinse very well in a colander. Do chop cauliflower in small florets so that they get cooked faster. You will need 3 cups chopped small sized cauliflower florets.

2. Boil 3 cups water and ½ teaspoon salt in a large pan or steel bowl.

3. Switch off the flame and then immerse the cauliflower florets in the hot water. Let the cauliflower florets blanch in hot water for 5 to 10 minutes. The blanching method is to get rid of insects and worms in the cauliflower.

4. Later drain all the water and keep the cauliflower florets aside.

B) crushing in mortar-pestle

5. Take 1 inch ginger (chopped), 2 to 3 medium garlic cloves (chopped) and ¼ teaspoon fennel seeds in a mortar-pestle. Crush everything to a semi-fine or fine paste. Keep aside.you can use ¼ teaspoon fennel powder (in step 16) instead of adding whole fennel seeds.

Making cauliflower fry

7. Heat 3 tablespoons coconut oil in a heavy pan or kadai. You can use sunflower oil or ghee if you do not have coconut oil. Use a heavy kadai or pan so that the masala does not stick at the bottom. Add the crushed ginger+garlic+fennel seeds paste.

8. Stir and fry for a few seconds till the raw aroma of ginger and garlic goes away. Then add ½ cup chopped onions or 1 medium sized onion (chopped).

9. Mix and then begin to sauté onions on a medium-low to medium flame.

10. Stirring often sauté onions. First they will become translucent and then light golden. For faster cooking of onions, you can add a pinch of salt.

11. Sauté onions till they become golden.

12. Then add ½ cup chopped tomatoes or 1 medium-sized tomato (chopped).

13. Add 1 green chili (slit) and 8 to 10 curry leaves (chopped or torn).

14. Mix well.

15. Sauté on a medium-low flame till the tomatoes soften and become pulpy. Oil should release from the sides of the onion-tomato masala.

16. Keep flame to a low. Then sprinkle ¼ teaspoon turmeric powder, ¼ teaspoon red chili powder, ¼ teaspoon black pepper powder or crushed black pepper, ¼ teaspoon garam masala powder, ½ teaspoon cumin powder and ½ teaspoon coriander powder. If using Kashmiri red chili powder then add ½ teaspoon of it.

17. Mix very well and sauté for a few seconds till you get a nice aroma from the spice powders.

18. Now add the blanched cauliflower florets.

19. Mix again well.

20. Season with salt as per taste. There is no need to add water. The cauliflower will get cooked in its own juices and moisture.

21. Mix again.

22. Cover the cauliflower mixture with a tight-fitting lid. Cook on a low flame to medium-low flame. Use a lid that comes close to the cauliflower fry mixture in the pan. The space between the lid and cauliflower should be small.

23. In between do check and give a stir. Then continue to cover with lid and cook on a low to medium-low flame.

24. If cauliflower or the masala starts sticking to pan and the cauliflower is not yet cooked, then add a few tablespoons of water. But add water only if the masala or cauliflower starts sticking to the pan.

25. Cook till the cauliflower florets are tender and softened. Do not make them mushy. After the cauliflower gets cooked, if there is any water left in the pan, then cook without lid till all the water evaporates.

26. Lastly switch off the flame and add 1 to 2 tablespoons chopped coriander leaves. Mix well.

27. Serve cauliflower fry with chapatis, paratha, bread or phulkas. You can squeeze some lemon juice while serving.

Few more veggie recipes for you!

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This Cauliflower Fry Post from the archives first published on Juy 2018 has been republished and updated in January 2023.

Source: Dassana’s Veg Recipes