Cauliflower Tikka Masala

Feb 19, 2018

This recipe came about after a visit to Dishoom in Edinburgh. I saw that they had a chicken tandoori masala marinated in sweet vinegar (rather than the usual yoghurt). So, I though I would give it a try for one of my monthly pop-up Indian takeaways. The heat comes from the marinated cauliflower whilst the sauce is very gentle and full of flavour.

Can't get to your usual Indian takeaway? Make this simple vegetarian curry recipe as a healthier and less expensive curry choice. Make it a Spice Pots Indian Fakeaway!

Serves 4

Ingredients:
1 large cauliflower, broken into similar size florets

For the marinade:
2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
1/2 tablespoon oil
Salt, to taste
4 teaspoons of Tandoori Masala Blend
Good squeeze of lemon juice

For the sauce:
1 tablespoon of oil
1 onion, finely chopped
2 garlic cloves, crushed
1 400ml tin of chopped tomatoes
3 teaspoons of either Goan Spice (hot), Bhuna Spice (medium) or Korma Spice (mild)
1 teaspoon soft brown sugar
300ml single cream or use coconut milk
1 tablespoon of ground almonds (optional)
Salt, to taste
Coriander, to garnish

First up, mix up all the marinade ingredients and pour over the cauliflower in a shallow dish or plastic container. Mix well with your hands. Leave to marinade for 2 hours or overnight.

To cook the cauliflower, set the oven to 180 and roast the cauliflower for around 10 to 15 minutes. It should be cooked but retain a lovely bite.

To make the sauce, heat the oil and cook the onion until soft and browning (about 10 minutes, add the garlic and cook for a couple of minutes, then add the tomatoes and cook these down until dark and thick. Add the spices and sugar and cook for about a minute. Stir in the cream and almonds. Now add the cauliflower warm through.

You can also use this sauce over lamb koftas, tandoori masala chicken or tandoori masala prawns.

Prefer the chicken version? See our recipe for Chicken Tikka Masala.

We have many other Vegan and Vegetarian Curry Recipes listed in our blog using a whole range of different vegetables and pulses.