Shadi wala Masala Gobhi (Spiced Cauliflower with Potatoes as served in North Indian Weddings)

I cannot begin to tell you how much I miss going to weddings. When I was in India, every wedding season we used to have so many invitations. And you know what those invitations meant - Food! Yes, Indian food is super delicious but Indian wedding food is something else. It is a heavenly experience. And I am not talking about the non-vegetarian part only. Believe me, I have been to my fair share of weddings where only vegetarian food was served. It’s not something a carnivore like me would like, but after tasting a couple of dishes my whole viewpoint was changed. I think at the end of the day it doesn't matter if a dish is veg or non-veg. What matters is the taste and if you remember it after leaving the party.

Food is such an integral part of weddings right? If you are a host you start working on the food menu as soon as you fix the date. There is a lot of fun, headache, cost and planning involved. If however, you are a guest attending the wedding then you don't have to plan anything. Well except what you are going to wear, matching accessories, gifts (so yeah a couple of things). You just have to show up, get in the mandatory attendance photo and congratulate the bride, groom and their family members. After all this is done (within the first 10-15 minutes), you start mingling with the other guests who after finishing the formalities and small talks, immediately share with you to try a certain dish which in their opinion is really good. Then there is only one thing left to do - to enter the dining area and start dining!

Dining in Indian weddings these days is all buffet (especially on the wedding and reception days when guests are many). It gives you the option to explore and choose whatever you want or like best. Although talking while eating is strictly regulated when we are kids, all the cards are out of the window when you are attending a wedding. Talking with other guests, friends and acquaintances in the dining area is a part of the whole dining experience. Especially if you are at a buffet, while you are trying to choose the next dish and on your way back to the main dining area, you keep meeting other people and so the dinner goes on and on. 

The best part about weddings, besides the biryani, pulao, tikkas and curries are of course the hot from the oven breads. Everyone waits for those hot tandoori rotis or puris coming straight out of the tandoors or woks. The flavor of these fresh breads increases the overall eating experience on so many levels. Imagine, taking a piece of fresh hot Naan and dipping it in Butter Chicken and eating it! Absolute heaven! Or take a hot crispy Puri, wrap it in a big floret of masala gobhi and eat it. Yum! There is something unique about vegetarian dishes. You need the freshest vegetables to create that flavor. Indian cooking is not all about spices, it is the perfect marriage between many ingredients. That’s why the food served at weddings tastes so good! The aroma and flavor created by that perfect marriage of ingredients immediately fills all our senses and we start thinking if only there was a way to recreate those dishes at home.

So today foodies I have a very special dish for you. This dish is for the cauliflower lovers, for the potato lovers and for the vegetarian food lovers. I present to you - Masala Gobhi. But hold on, this is not a normal everyday recipe. This is the one served at North Indian weddings! This is a gorgeous dish with big florets of cauliflowers coated in delicious spices. 

What is so special about this dish is the usage of Ghee instead of Canola or Mustard Oil. That brings a delicious mild flavor and aroma in the dish. The addition of ginger and garlic is also unique because we almost never add garlic in vegetarian dishes. If you look at the ingredients list, there is nothing super fancy going on. So what makes it special enough to be served at weddings? The answer is simple - it's the little things. Fry where it says fry, saute where it says to saute. Skip a step and the dish will turn out something very different. 

So are you ready to prepare something fit to be served at Indian weddings? Great! then let's start:

Ingredients:

• Ghee - 2 tablespoons
• Cumin Seeds - 1 teaspoon
• Ginger - 1 inch, peeled
• Garlic - 4-5 cloves
• Cauliflower - 1 medium
• Potato - 1 large
• Salt - to taste (about ½ teaspoon for the gravy) plus some more for seasoning
• Turmeric Powder - ½ teaspoon (for the gravy), plus some more for seasoning 
• Degi Mirch Powder - ½ teaspoon (for the gravy), plus some more for seasoning
• Asafoetida - ¼ teaspoon 
• Cumin Powder - 1 teaspoon
• Cilantro - a handful, washed, leaf and stem chopped separately
• Canola Oil/ Spray - for air frying

Others:

• Meat/ Kitchen Mallet
• Air Fryer
• Or a Wok, 2 cups of Canola Oil and a Slotted Spoon (if you are deep frying)

Directions:

• Peel and cut the potatoes in medium cubes, wash and keep them aside.
• Cut the Cauliflower in big florets. Place a small cut in the thick stems so that they cook evenly. Wash and keep them aside.
• Place the Ginger and Garlic on a wooden board. 
• Sprinkle a pinch of Salt on it. 
• Cover with a piece of cling wrap or plastic. 
• Bang with the meat/ kitchen mallet a couple of times to crush them.
• Take a cup of water in a medium bowl. Add the powdered spices (Turmeric Powder, Degi Mirch Powder, Asafoetida and Cumin Powder) in it along with the Salt (½ teaspoon). Keep it aside.
• Preheat the Air Fryer at 400 F (or fries mode). 
• Season the potatoes and cauliflower with some Salt, Oil, Degi Mirch and Turmeric.
• Air fry for 15 minutes or till golden red in color (you can also deep fry them). Doing this step helps to create a better texture in the vegetables and also enhances flavor. 

Photo shows: Air fried vegetables

• While the vegetables are being cooked, heat a cast iron or non-stick pan on medium heat.
• Add the Ghee and once it melts, add the Cumin Seeds. Saute for a few seconds then add the crushed Ginger and Garlic. 
• Fry them for 1-2 minutes then add the spiced water prepared above with the chopped cilantro stems. Saute for a few minutes then cover and cook for 10-15 minutes over medium low heat or till the raw aroma of the spices is gone.
• Next add the fried vegetables in the pan. Use a rubber spatula to coat the spices on the vegetables. If the water isn't enough add ½ cup of warm water in it. Do not add a lot of water at a time, it should be just enough to cover the vegetables.
• Cover and cook for 10 minutes or till the vegetables are thoroughly cooked. 
• The gravy should be just enough to cling to the vegetables. If it’s more than that, transfer the vegetables to a serving bowl and increase the heat to medium, reduce the gravy till it turns thick enough to coat the back of a spoon.
• Turn off the heat, pour the gravy on top of the vegetables. Garnish with chopped cilantro.
• Masala Gobhi is ready. Serve with Luchi, Namkeen Puri or Lachha Paratha.

Recommended Reading:

• How to Deep-Fry food with Confidence
• How to check if the oil is hot enough to fry

Love North Indian dishes? Try these as well:

• Rajma (Indian curry with Red Kidney Beans)
• Kadhi (Gram Flour Fritters in Yogurt Sauce)
• Baingan ka Bharta (Punjabi recipe: Eggplant with Onion and Garlic)
• Soa Baigan Alu (Dill sautéed with Eggplant and Potato)
• Bhindi Kalonji – Okra with Indian spices
• Paneer Bhurji (Crumbled Fresh Cheese with sautéed Onions)