You can check out the recipe on easy paneer tikka recipe, tandoori aloo (potatoes), and whole roasted cauliflower.
About the recipe
Tandoori Cauliflower is a trendy North Indian dish where the cauliflower or gobi bites are marinated in yogurt and spices and then cooked in a traditional clay oven called tandoor. Cooking in tandoor gives a smoky flavor to your dish and a charred outer texture. But you can also make it easily at home in an oven, BBQ grill, tawa or skillet pan, stovetop or gas, or air fryer, and I have added all the instructions below.
Ingredients
Cauliflower: Also called gobi or gobhi in India. Cut them into florets of desired bite-size pieces. Yogurt: Use full-fat yogurt or Greek yogurt to make this tikka; for the vegan version, use dairy-free yogurt. Besan or Chickpea flour: This helps your marinade stick to the cauliflower and prevent it from sticking to the pan during grilling or baking. Other flavorful ingredients: Garlic, ginger, green chile, red chile powder, tandoori masala, chat masala, and kasuri methi are the combination of ingredients that I have used to make this tikka. See the recipe card below for a full list of ingredients and measurements.
Step-by-Step Instructions
Marinate the cauliflower
Cut the cauliflower into florets of bite-size pieces and wash them. Cut onion into large chunks and separate the layers. Add chickpea flour to a small pan or kadai and saute on a medium-low flame for about 3 to 5 minutes or until the raw smell goes off (or until aromatic). Switch off the flame. In a large bowl, combine yogurt, garlic, ginger, green chilli, red chilli powder, tandoori masala, chaat masala, black salt, mint leaves, chickpea flour, and salt to taste and mix well. Add cauliflower florets and onion to this yogurt marinade and toss till combined. Let it marinate in the fridge for atleast 30 minutes. Toss it after 30 minutes once again if you keep the marinade for a longer time. You can marinate longer or even overnight in the refrigerator for intense flavors.
Grilling tandoori cauliflower
In oven
Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. In a baking tray, grease oil or place parchment paper to reduce the amount of oil. Spread the marinated cauliflower along with onions on a single layer. Drizzle oil and bake for about 20 to 25 minutes or until cauliflower is tender and the marinade has thickened and started to crisp, turning once halfway through cooking time. (You may drizzle additional oil about 10 minutes into cooking time. This is optional.) Serve this hot with mint chutney, yogurt dip, and tomato ketchup. You can drizzle lemon juice and chat masala just before serving.
In outdoor grill
Prepare an outdoor charcoal grill (barbecue or BBQ). Place the marinated cauliflower pieces on the grill directly or using skewers. Grill cauliflower or gobi until it becomes tender, about 8 to 10 minutes on each side, or a total of 16 to 20 minutes. The time may vary based on the size of the cauliflower pieces.
For stovetop or indoor gas
Add cauliflower and onion to the skewers. Turn on the gas on a medium-high flame. Cook each skewer loaded with cauliflower (gobi), placing it 2 inches from the flame for 4 to 6 minutes. Cook until some charred spots develop. Keep rotating the skewer for even cooking. For a better understanding, you can check the video on how to make tikka on a gas or stovetop.
Air Fryer
Preheat the air fryer to 360 degrees F or 180 degrees C. Spread the marinated cauliflower on a single layer in your air fryer basket. To prevent them from drying out, spray some oil. Air fry for 16 to 18 minutes, based on the size of the cauliflower bites, until the cauliflower becomes tender and the edges start to crisp. Rotate halfway through for even cooking.
Tawa Tandoori Gobi
Use a regular nonstick pan (dosa tawa or roti tawa) or grill to make this tawa gobi tikka or skillet roasted cauliflower. If you do not have an oven or do not want to use skewers, you can use this method. The grill pan is optional. Grease your pan with oil. Place the cauliflower and cook on medium-high flame for 2 to 4 minutes. Flip and cook until cauliflower becomes tender and golden brown on all sides. You can check here on how to make tawa paneer or gobi.
What to serve with tandoori cauliflower?
You can serve tandoori cauliflower with mint cilantro chutney, yogurt dip, mayonnaise, tomato ketchup anything of your choice. You can also serve it as a side with naan bread or as a filling in wraps or kathi rolls. Today I served it with yogurt dip. To prepare this dip, whisk ¾ cup of yogurt in a bowl. Add a pinch of black salt, ½ teaspoon chat masala, one green chili, finely chopped; coriander leaves finely chopped, and salt to taste and mix.
Tips
You should marinate the cauliflower for atleast 30 minutes. For more intense flavors, marinate, keep it overnight, and bake the next day. You can bake it for 10 to 12 minutes in OTG or until it is done. Vary the spices as per your taste. If you don’t have tandoori masala, you can substitute it with garam masala or a combination of ground cumin, coriander, turmeric, and chile powder. The grilling time varies from oven to oven and also the size of your cauliflower. Chickpea flour helps the marinade stick to the cauliflower and avoids sticking to the pan during the grilling or baking. You can even skip it if you don’t have it. Any leftover tandoori cauliflower can be stored in an airtight conatiner in a refrigerator for 3 to 5 days. Reheat in the oven, stovetop, or microwave just before serving. If you skip the oil while making tikkas, it may turn dry. Yogurt is the key ingredient. If you cannot use it for dietary instructions, you can make it with all other marination ingredients. The taste may vary from the traditional one, but it will still be aromatic with other spices. I love the flavor of fresh ginger and garlic. You are free to use ginger garlic paste.
More Cauliflower Recipes
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Recipe card
