Go Back
vegan cauliflower curry

Cauliflower with fenugreek greens in spicy peanut gravy

A vegan cauliflower curry with freshly ground spices in a peanut based sauce.
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 25 minutes
Total Time 35 minutes
Servings 3 people

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

You can replace the peanuts with cashews or almonds, in which case use blanched nuts to grind to a paste along with the spices.
Use fresh baby spinach or spinach instead of fenugreek greens.
Fresh fenugreek is very easy to grow from fenugreek seeds. Soak the seeds for a day, drain and sprout on moist kitchen paper. Transfer the sprouts to a tray of prepared soil and water very lightly. You will have enough leaves to use in a dish in 2 weeks time. Snip the leaves and they grow right back.