Creamy Cauliflower Curry
Your favorite veggie is at its tastiest best in this restaurant-favorite Indian cauliflower curry, Malai Gobi. A silky, white coconut sauce, delicately spiced with cardamom, wraps around chunks of tender cauliflower. Dunk a vegan naan or roti into a bowl of this curry or serve it over a bed of basmati rice for a delicious meal.
Servings: 6 servings
Calories: 156kcal
Ingredients
- ½ cup raw cashews
- 1 cup full-fat coconut milk (use the thick portion from a can)
- 1 medium or small head cauliflower (separated into small florets)
- 2 teaspoon coconut oil (divided)
- 1 medium onion (sliced)
- 2 teaspoon ginger garlic paste
- 1-2 green chili peppers (like serrano or jalapeno. Use less or more depending on your tolerance for heat.)
- ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
- 1 teaspoon ground green cardamom
- 1 teaspoon chaat masala
- 1 tablespoon kasoori methi (dry fenugreek leaves)
- Juice of ½ lemon
- Salt to taste
- 1 teaspoon garam masala (optional. Use only if you want a spicier curry. You can also use curry powder instead.)
Instructions
- Blend the cashews and coconut milk with 1 cup water into a very smooth paste. Set aside.
- Heat 1 teaspoon of coconut oil in a saucepan. Add the onions and ginger-garlic paste and saute until the onions turn transparent but not brown. Add a couple of tablespoons of water if the ginger-garlic paste starts to stick.
- Transfer the onions to a blender, add ½ cup water and the chili peppers and blend into a smooth paste.
- In the same saucepan, heat the remaining teaspoon of coconut oil. Add the blended paste, mix, and bring it to a simmer.
- Add the cauliflower florets and ½ cup water along with the cardamom powder, pepper, chat masala, and kasoori methi.
- Stir well to mix, bring to a boil, and cover with a lid. Cook on a medium-low flame, stirring occasionally, for 10-15 minutes or until the cauliflower is tender but still has a bite. If you like your cauliflower softer, continue to cook a little longer.
- Add the cashew-coconut cream and stir well to mix. Add water if the mixture is too thick, and thin it out to your liking. I like this curry rather thick and creamy.
- Once the curry comes to a boil, add salt to taste and turn off the heat. Stir in lemon juice. Serve hot.
Notes
Helpful hints
- Cook the cauliflower florets to the tenderness you desire. You can leave them al dente with a bit of bite, or cook them until they are silky-soft.
- If you want a thinner curry, add more water or vegetable stock to the curry and then bring to a boil. Always check for salt after adding water and add more if needed.
- You can add frozen green peas to this curry, or carrots or sweet potatoes. Add the carrots and sweet potatoes to the pot with the cauliflower florets. If adding peas, stir them in after the cauliflower has cooked.
- This is a white curry and I think it looks stunning as is. But if you want to add some visual contrast and more flavor, sprinkle on a few chopped fresh cilantro leaves.
- Serve the curry hot with roti, naan or over rice. It can also be enjoyed with a simple pilaf like jeera rice.
- Serve a vegan raita or a little bit of lime pickle on the side.
- Refrigerate: This curry tastes great the next day. You can store leftovers in the fridge for up to four days.
- Freeze: The coconut milk in the curry can separate or become a bit grainy when frozen. However, there will be no loss in taste. Freeze the curry in an airtight container.
- Reheating: Reheat the frozen curry in a microwave on high for 3-4 minutes, stirring once or twice in between. You can also heat the curry in a saucepan.
Nutrition
Calories: 156kcal | Carbohydrates: 7g | Protein: 3g | Fat: 14g | Saturated Fat: 9g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 3g | Potassium: 186mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 1g | Vitamin A: 1IU | Vitamin C: 2mg | Calcium: 17mg | Iron: 2mg