Cauliflower is one of the vegetables that is loved by everyone at home including kids. This roasted Cauliflower curry happened when I had some left over Tandoori Gobi. I used the leftovers and came up with a simple curry that I enjoyed with some bread. But then I came across this video where tomato paste was used to bake the cauliflower and then a similar curry was made. I tried that and just loved it. So, I used my own recipe with the addition of the tomato paste and baked these florets to perfection. The tomato paste makes the cauliflower tangy and gives it a good color as well.
The curry base is a simple onion tomato masala which is made with onion, tomato and basic spices. This masala is so versatile. You can make some extra and refrigerate it. They are perfect to have for those busy days when you want to make some curry when you are in a hurry. After baking for 30 minutes the cauliflower will be cooked but still remain crunchy. Do not overcook them once you add them to the curry too.
I had a tough time taking these pictures as I had made this curry for lunch and it was so sunny outside. It is hard to get evenly lit photos when the sun is so bright. The light from the sun on a sunny day is hard light. And hard light is harsh and it casts strong shadows and brightness. My kids were so hungry, I just had to quickly finish up the shoot and feed them food. Left over curry can be used as a filling for Kati roll, another family favorite! Enjoy.
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INGREDIENTS:
For the baked cauliflower
1 cauliflower head, cut into florets
1 teaspoon turmeric powder
¼ cup tomato paste
2 teaspoon chili powder
1 teaspoon cumin powder
1 tablespoon ginger and garlic paste
2 tablespoon oil
Salt, as needed
For the curry
1 ½ tablespoon clarified butter, ghee/oil
1 teaspoon cumin seeds
1 teaspoon ginger garlic paste
1 medium size onion, finely chopped
2 roma tomatoes, finely chopped
1 teaspoon chili powder
1 teaspoon turmeric powder
1 tablespoon coriander powder
2 teaspoon garam masala powder
2 tablespoon dry fenugreek leaves(kasuri methi)
2 tablespoon cilantro, chopped
Heat oven at 375F. Place the florets in hot water for about 10 minutes along with a teaspoon of turmeric powder. This will help to clean the florets. Now drain the cauliflower and place it in a large bowl. Add all the ingredients – tomato paste, chili powder, cumin powder, ginger & garlic paste, oil and salt. Using hands gently rub all the spices on the florets. Spread them in a greased baking sheet and bake for 30 minutes. Please do flip them in between and continue baking. You will end up with some charred ones, which is what we are looking for. They will be cooked well and remain crunchy as well. You can taste it and enjoy this as an appetizer as well. Once done, set it aside and cool it down.
Heat a pan with oil. Add cumin seeds once it sizzles add the onions. Sauté until it turns pink. Add the ginger garlic paste and mix well. Once the onions turns light golden brown, add the tomatoes and the spices – turmeric, chili powder, coriander powder. When the tomato is cooked well, mash it with the back of a spatula. Add the roasted cauliflower and give it a quick mix. Sprinkle the garam masala powder and mix to coat it well. Check for the spices and adjust accordingly. Cook for 2-3 minutes, we want to retain the crunchiness of the florets. Lastly, add the kasuri methi and cilantro. Give it a quick mix and serve it with Roti/rice.