Gobi Musallam (Whole Roasted Cauliflower in Mughlai Gravy)
Whole roasted cauliflower in a white Mughlai yogurt-cashew gravy. Blanch, marinate, roast, then spoon the sauce through the florets.
Equipment
- Stockpot or Dutch oven deep enough for a whole cauliflower
- Blender
- Rimmed baking sheet or an air fryer
- Tongs
Ingredients
For the cauliflower
- 1 small-medium whole cauliflower 1.5 to 2 lb / 700 to 850 g after trim
- 1 tablespoon salt for the blanching water
- water to cover
For the marinade
- 1/2 cup thick whole-milk yogurt or Greek yogurt
- 1 1/2 tablespoons ginger-garlic paste
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
- 1/4 teaspoon garam masala
For the white gravy
- 1 large white or yellow onion about 12 oz / 350 g, sliced
- 1 inch ginger roughly chopped
- 1-2 green chilies sliced
- 8 raw cashews
- 2 cups water
- 1/4 cup plain whole-milk yogurt
- 1 tablespoon oil or ghee
- 1 inch cinnamon stick
- 1 black cardamom pod
- 3/4 teaspoon cumin seeds
- 1 teaspoon coriander powder
- 1/2 teaspoon garam masala
- 2 teaspoons kasuri methi
- 1/2 teaspoon salt or to taste
- 1/4 cup heavy cream
To finish
- pomegranate arils
- fresh cilantro
- kasuri methi extra, crushed
Instructions
Blanch the cauliflower
- Pull off the leaves. Cut the thick stem so the head sits flat. Keep the core intact.
- Bring a pot of water to a boil, deep enough to hold the head. Add 1 tablespoon salt.
- Lower the cauliflower in, head down. Cook 3 to 4 minutes, flip, and cook 3 to 4 minutes more. A fork should meet a little resistance at the stem. Do not boil it soft.
- Lift it out with tongs. Drain well. Pat dry, including the underside.
Marinate and roast
- Heat the oven to 400°F (200°C), or the air fryer to 375°F (190°C). Line a sheet with parchment if you are using the oven.
- Whisk the yogurt, ginger-garlic paste, salt, pepper, and garam masala.
- Coat the cauliflower on the crown and the underside. Push the marinade into the florets with your fingers.
- Oven: roast 28 to 35 minutes, until the edges take color and a knife slides through the stem. Air fryer: 18 to 22 minutes, check at 15. Size changes the time.
Make the gravy while it roasts
- Put the onion, ginger, green chilies, cashews, and 2 cups water in a pot. Cover and boil 15 minutes, until the onion is soft.
- Cool a minute. Blend with 1/4 cup yogurt until completely smooth.
- In the same pot, heat the oil or ghee. Add cinnamon, black cardamom, and cumin. Let them sizzle.
- Pour in the onion paste. Cook 2 to 3 minutes. Add coriander powder, garam masala, kasuri methi, and salt. Cook 1 minute.
- Stir in the cream. The gravy should be spoonable, not soup. Add a splash of water if it is paste-thick. Taste for salt.
Assemble
- Set the roasted cauliflower in the pot, or on a warm platter with gravy underneath.
- Spoon gravy through the florets and over the underside. Cover 2 minutes on low so it drinks. Do not simmer it for 15 minutes or the head will slump.
- Move it to the serving platter. Pour more gravy around it, and a little on top. Finish with pomegranate, cilantro, and kasuri methi. Put a knife on the table.
Notes
Make-ahead: roast the cauliflower and make the gravy a day out. Fridge separately. Reheat the head at 350°F (175°C) for 10 to 12 minutes. Warm the gravy on the stove. Assemble just before serving.
Too-large head: use a medium cauliflower, or roast two small ones. Do not switch to florets unless you want gobi in white gravy, which is a different plate.
Jain / no onion no garlic: skip the onion and the ginger-garlic paste. Boil extra cashews (about 16) with green chili and a pinch of hing. Blend with yogurt. Marinade is yogurt, salt, pepper, hing.
Vegan: thick unsweetened plain plant yogurt in the marinade. Blend 12 soaked cashews with the boiled onion instead of dairy yogurt and cream. The tang shifts. The method holds.
Leftovers: slice into wedges. Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 2 days. Reheat gravy and wedges separately so the cauliflower does not go soggy. I do not freeze a whole sauced head.
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