Amrita's Stuffed Gobi (Cauliflower)
The one dish that Amrita's mother made on special occasions.
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“When I came here 38 years ago, we used to correspond because telephone was very expensive. My mother used to write a letter on 2 sides of an aerogram and on the 3rd side, there would be a recipe or 2. I have still got them. I asked my sister (who is no longer with us) how she made things. I have her letters, which are very special.”
Born and raised in Uttar Pradesh, Northern India, Amrita moved to the UK in 1981. She was fed up with the stereotype that Indian food is unhealthy. Now she’s determined to show how Indian food can be healthy.
Her recipes aren’t from cookbooks—they are unique to her family, gathered through letters from her mother and sister over 30 years ago. Sharing these recipes, especially with the younger generations, fills her with gratitude and pride—it allows her to pass on the belonging and identity of her Indian heritage.
Celebrate Mother’s Day this Sunday, learning Aicha’s Tagine at 5PM GMT/1PM EST
Amrita’s Stuffed Gobhi
“This is a recipe specific to our family—mainly to please vegetarians who could not eat Raan (leg of lamb). I dedicate it to my mother who made it on special occasions.
It’s a fitting dish ready for any dinner table—beautiful to look at and even better to taste!”
Ingredients:
1 medium-sized cauliflower – make sure it is fresh and firm to the touch
2 large onions, finely chopped
250g tinned tomatoes (or fresh if you prefer, blanched)
8-10 cloves
2-3 large bay leaves
One large stick of cinnamon
8-10 peppercorns
1 inch of fresh ginger and 3-4 cloves of garlic finely ground to a paste
1 inch of fresh ginger cut into fine juliennes
2 large green chillies, slit into 2 pieces each
1 heaped tablespoon of freshly ground coriander powder
½ tsp turmeric powder
1 tsp red chilli powder
8-10 tbsps of oil
Salt to taste
1 tsp garam masala
One large handful of fresh chopped green coriander
Steps
There are 3 stages to this recipe – frying the cauliflower, making the masala and then slowly cooking the cauliflower after it has been coated with the masala
Cut the cauliflower into two large chunks
Stud it with the cloves
Heat the oil and fry the cauliflower till golden brown – takes 5-6 minutes. Be careful as the moisture in the cauliflower can cause the oil to spatter
Remove on to a plate and keep aside
In the oil add the bay leaves, cinnamon and peppercorns and then immediately add the onions.
Fry till golden brown and then add the tomatoes and ginger garlic paste
Fry for 3-4 minutes until the juice from the tomatoes reduces and then add the spice powders, except garam masala. Fry for another 3-4 minutes
Place the cauliflower in a wide saucepan or oven dish
Ladle the sauce on the cauliflower and cover it completely
Stud the green chillies on top of the paste
Cover the saucepan and place on very low heat for 10-15 minutes. This process can be done in a microwave too
Insert a knife into the cauliflower base – if it goes through easily then the cauliflower is ready to eat. If not, allow another 5 minutes
Remove from heat, sprinkle the fresh coriander and garam masala
Serve with any Indian bread – pitta bread works just as well
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