Achari Gobhi Curry Recipe (Cauliflower Curry With Indian Pickling Spices)

A bowl of rich, reddish-brown Achari Gobhi curry garnished with fresh cilantro leaves, surrounded by herbs and lemon slices on a rustic surface.

4.75 from 4 votes

Achari Gobhi Curry Recipe (Cauliflower Curry With Indian Pickling Spices)

This Achari Gobhi Curry is a spicy and tangy cauliflower curry made using an Indian pickling spice mix. Serve it with paratha or naan for a delicious Indian meal.

Prep Time10

Cook Time30

Total Time40

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: Indian, North Indian

Diet: Vegetarian

Servings: people

Author: Neha Mathur

Ingredients

1 large head of cauliflower (gobhi)
½ cup mustard oil or any other cooking oil
2 cups sliced red onions
3 teaspoons ginger garlic paste
½ cup canned tomato puree or 2 tablespoon tomato paste
½ cup plain yogurt (curd, dahi) whisked
2 tablespoons Achari masala
2 teaspoons Kashmiri red chilli powder
1 teaspoon salt or to taste
1 tablespoon lime juice
1 teaspoon dry mango powder (amchoor)
1 tablespoon Kasuri methi crushed
2 tablespoons chopped cilantro (fresh coriander leaves)

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

Blanch The Cauliflower

Cut a large cauliflower into bite-sized florets.
Heat 5 cups of water in a pan over high heat.
Once it comes to a boil, add gobi florets and cook for 1 minute. This step not only blanches the gobi but also removes any hidden bits of dirt or tiny insects hiding inside the florets.

Do not overcook the gobhi as it may turn mushy.

Remove the florets from the hot water using a perforated spatula. Pat the florets using paper towels. Try to remove as much water as possible, since we need to fry the florets; if there is water, it will splatter a lot in the hot oil. To be on the safer side, you can also air-dry the florets for 10-15 minutes.

Fry The Cauliflower

Heat oil in a pan over high heat.
Add half of the gobhi florets in hot oil and fry till slightly browned. Stir frequently when frying.

Be careful when frying the gobhi, as some of the water in them might splatter when they come into contact with hot oil. Always keep a lid ready before adding the florets to the hot oil in case the oil splatters too much.

Drain the fried gobhi onto a plate using a slotted spatula. Fry the other half and keep the fried gobhi aside.

Crowding the pan steams the cauliflower instead of frying it. Fry in 2 batches for proper caramelization and crunch.

Make The Curry

Add onions to the same pan and cook until lightly browned (5-6 minutes), stirring frequently.
Add ginger garlic paste and cook until onions are golden brown in color (6-8 minutes).

Caramelize the onions properly – Golden onions form the sweet backbone that balances the sour achari tang. Pale onions result in a flat-tasting gravy.

Now add tomato puree and plain yogurt and mix well. Cook for a minute.
Add achari masala, Kashmiri red chili powder, salt, and ½ cup of water and mix well. Cook for a minute.
Add the fried gobhi to the pan and mix well.
Reduce the heat to low.
Cover the pan and cook for 10-12 minutes. Stir a few times in between.
Add lime juice, dry mango powder, Kasuri methi, and ginger juliennes and mix well.
Check for salt and add more if needed.
Garnish with chopped cilantro and serve hot.

Video

Notes

You can add some masala from mango or red chilli pickle for a more profound pickle taste.

To make a dry version, add just ¼ cup of tomato puree, ¼ cup of yogurt, and 2 tablespoon of water to the recipe. Keep the rest of the recipe the same.

Nutrition