 Vegan Cauliflower Curry | Cauliflower with greens in Indian spices | Gobhi Methi Subzi
A recipe for a uniquely flavoured vegan cauliflower curry with a freshly ground spice paste and a smattering of fresh fenugreek leaves. The latter can be easily replaced with fresh spinach for that touch of green to the curry.
It is nearing the end of January. Bangalore is all chilly in the early mornings. I’m hitting the snooze button on my 5 AM wake up alarm with alarming regularity. When I do wake up very reluctantly, the cold water in the wash basin jolts me into wakefulness. All this drama, despite being an out and out morning person. It is good to enjoy this winter chill while it lasts. There’s probably just a week more of it left.
What I’m going to miss even more is the profusion of fresh vegetables that are begging to be cooked into a variety of dishes. Cauliflowers are best in the Indian winters, so are local greens like fenugreek. While Aloo-Gobhi or Gobhi Matar are classic combinations, with this recipe I would like to make the case for Gobhi Methi. The fragrant seasonal fenugreek greens boosts the flavour of bland cauliflower which I have further dressed up with a medley of spices.
Peanuts add a bit of creaminess to the gravy without resorting to dairy or the bother of opening a whole can of coconut milk for 1/4 cup. The peanuts also smoothen out the flavours of the freshly ground spices.
Try my version of this vegan cauliflower curry and I promise that it will turn into one of your favourite recipes.
If you don’t have sesame seeds, fennel and cardamom, use the spices you have. The flavour may not be exactly the same, but you can compensate for it by adding two pinches of a good garam masala powder or a curry powder.
This gobhi methi subzi with freshly made phulkas makes for a delicious winter lunch.
More easy cauliflower recipes for you to try
Vegan Cauliflower Mulligatawny Soup
Vegan Cauliflower and Dill Flatbreads (Gobhi Soya Paratha)
Turmeric Rice with Cauliflower
15 minute Cauliflower Fried Rice
Cauliflower with fenugreek greens in spicy peanut gravy
Ingredients
- 4 cups cauliflower florets ~350 grams
- 1 cup fenugreek leaves methi
- 2 tbsp peanuts unsalted
Spices for toasting
- 3 - 4 dried red chillies
- 1/2 tsp fennel seeds
- 1/2 tsp cumin seeds
- 1 tsp coriander seeds
- 1 tsp sesame seeds
- 1 stick cinnamon 1"
- 3 cloves
- 1 green cardamom
- 5 - 6 black peppers
Other ingredients
- 3 - 4 cloves garlic sliced
- 2 medium onions sliced
- 3 tsp oil divided
- 1/2 tsp cumin seeds
- 1 large tomato
- 1 tsp salt
Instructions
- To prepare the vegan cauliflower curry, start by washing the florets in a bowl of water. Remove them and keep them immersed in a bowl of salted water for 5 minutes.
- In a pan with a lid, bring 1/2 cup water to boil with 1/4 tsp salt. Add the cauliflower florets into this pan, cover with lid and steam cook for around 5-6 minutes until the florets are cooked but not soft. Drain the florets and keep aside.
- Wash the fenugreek leaves well. Drain all the water, finely chop and keep aside.
- Roast the peanuts by microwaving on high for 4-5 minutes. Rub off the peels to the extent possible. Keep aside.
- For the freshly ground spice paste, take all the ingredients listed under 'spices for toasting' and fry on a low flame for 6-7 minutes until deeply aromatic. Remove this into a dish to cool.
- Heat a teaspoon of oil in the same pan and fry the sliced onion and garlic for 5-6 minutes until onion is translucent.
- In a mixer, grind the toasted spices, onion-garlic and the roasted peanuts into a very fine paste, adding upto 2-3 tbsp of water.
- Cut the tomato into half. Grate each half to get the pulp, discarding the skin when all of the pulp is grated.
- Heat remaining 2 tsp of oil in the same pan. Fry cumin seeds. Once it starts spluttering, add the prepared paste and fry it for 2-3 minutes. Add the finely chopped fenugreek leaves or spinach to the paste and allow to cook for 1-2 minutes. Mix in the tomato pulp and bring to a simmer. Add the cooked cauliflower florets, 1/4 tsp salt and cook on high flame for 3-4 minutes until excess liquid has evaporated. Serve hot.
Notes
Originally published on Jan 18, 2007
For more such healthy vegetarian recipes, get my book The Everyday Healthy Vegetarian is out! Get all the info about my book and order it here.Â
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Looks delicious ! very unusual combination.
Yup, that will be nice and spicy, perfect for a winter meal…Delhi is getting warmerthough. Sankranti is always magically the coldest night. But it is still going to be cold for a while, just not bone-marrow freezing.I’ll make this and let you know how it turns out.BTW, with the current JFI you have the perfect opportunity to showcase my requested recipe…I hope someone does!
I love fenugreek and can eat it with anything. Thanks for the recipe. I will surely try it out.
That must be one good curry!! It’s going on my must-try list. The pic looks really good!
Looks yummy..I use peanuts in chicken gravy..I love the flour..will try this for sure.Waiting for next WBB theme..
I love cauliflower and the sound of your gravy. Delicious!Paz
Cauliflower in peanut gravy! completely new to me. Will try it.thanks for sharing
What a unusual and tasty curry !
Looks great!Your kitchen looks beautiful too.
nice recipe. thanxs for sharing-Sushma
cauluflower with peanut gravy is completely new to me ! thanks for sharing this.-Pooja
I am quite sure this recipe will be a hit with my family. The aromatic combination of roasted spices (including the curry leaves) has got me salivating already. Thanks for another creative way of cooking cauliflower. I can hardly wait to try it. The roasted peanuts are a good alternative to add some body to the gravy instead of coconut milk or coconut gratings.
I was thinking of making gobhi methi instead of aloo methi…and you have a recipe… 🙂
hi nandita – have had my eye on this dish for a while and finally tried it (in my own aussie way because I am no expert at curries) – but I loved this spice combination and hope to try this dish again sometime – thanks
I tried this one and am sorry to say that something is really amiss!Cant compliment and recommend.Sorry!
Made this curry today ! was absolutely tasty ! 🙂
I like the curry. Can we use that curry with other vegetables or can we use this with Chickpeas
yes you can do it.
Hi my daughter has a all nuts allergy is there any other substitute for nuts ?
You can omit peanuts, otherwise add some pureed paneer for the creaminess.