Just like Potatoes, cauliflower is a versatile vegetable that is delicious any way you cook it. From soup to salad to roasted cauliflower to pizza crust to pancakes or even Mac & Cheese. There are endless number of ways to cook them. We have our own favorites at home:) . Though Gobi Manchoori seems to be an all time favorite dish, the idea of deep frying anything seems to bother me. My next favorite would be the spicy "Tandoori Gobi", which is incredibly delicious.! All you need is basic ingredients for marination and then bake them to perfection. These little florets are definitely a crowd-pleaser!
The recipe for marinating the Gobi is quite similar to the Paneer Tikka Tacos that I had posted earlier. I prefer to use hung curd to greek yogurt. For hung curd, use a cheesecloth or muslin cloth, place plain yogurt in the center. Bring all the sides together and tie a knot . Hang them on a faucet or on a kitchen cupboard knob/handle for 2-3 hours. You can also refrigerate it overnight.
I have also used simple plain yogurt. But the problem with that is, it leaves a lot of water which affects the marination. The yogurt should just be enough to coat the florets, too much spoils the overall baking. The key to a good Tandoori gobi is the marination. I prefer to marinate them overnight in the refrigerator. Atleast 6-8 hours is a must. It needs time to soak in all the flavors:)
I have a two door oven, so I baked them in the upper section of my oven. So I did not have a need to broil them. Since they were pretty close to the coils on top, they ended up a little charred on the ends, just the way I like them! If you chose to broil, please be careful, do not burn them!
INGREDIENTS:
1 medium cauliflower head, cut into florets
1/3 cup hung curd or Greek yogurt
1/2 teaspoon turmeric powder
2 teaspoon Kashmiri Chili powder( gives a good color)
2 teaspoon coriander powder
1 tablespoon ginger and garlic paste
1 tablespoon kasuri methi, dry fenugreek leaves
3 tablespoon oil( use one tablespoon to drizzle on top)
1 teaspoon dry mango powder /lemon juice
2 tablespoon chickpea flour/besan
salt as needed
ASSEMBLY -
1 red onion, sliced
lemon juice, as needed
1 teaspoon chili powder
1 teaspoon chat masala powder
salt as needed
cilantro - for garnish
Heat a big pot of water and bring it to a boil. Add a teaspoon of turmeric powder and the florets. Turn of the flame and cover it with a lid. Let it sit for ten minutes. Drain the florets completely.
In a large bowl, combine hung curd, turmeric, chili powder, coriander powder, ginger garlic paste,kasuri methi, oil, dry mango powder, chickpea flour and salt. Whisk well. Add the cauliflower florets. Toss to coat the florets with the mixture. Check for the taste, add more salt or chili powder if needed. You can use your hands and gently rub the florets making sure each one of them is coated well. Cover it with a cling wrap and marinate it overnight or at least for minimum of 6-8 hours.
Preheat the oven at 425F. Add the cauliflower to a greased baking tray and bake until tender about 15-20 minutes, stirring occasionally. Each oven temperature varies, so please check in between. Towards the end, broil them for 2-3 mins, which will give the charred appearance.
In a bowl mix the sliced onions, lemon juice, chili powder, chat masala powder and salt.
Remove the cauliflower from the pan and toss them with the onion mixture. Garnish with cilantro and serve them warm with Green chutney . Enjoy!