Gobhi 65

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"This is my veggie take on the world-famous Indian-restaurant dish known as chicken 65, the origin of which is hotly debated. Although my cauliflower version doesn't use 65 spices, I feel it captures something of the flavour of the popular chicken dish." – Chetna Makan

Ingredients

sunflower oil, for deep-frying
1 cauliflower, cut into roughly 2.5 cm florets
For the batter:
1 cm piece of fresh root ginger, peeled and grated
2 T store-bought chilli-garlic sauce
120 g cornflour
120 g rice flour
½ t salt
230 ml water
For the stir-fry:
2 T sunflower oil
2.5 cm piece of fresh root ginger, peeled and julienned
8–10 fresh curry leaves
2 T store-bought chilli-garlic sauce
2 T water

Cooking Instructions

1. Put all the batter ingredients in a bowl and mix well with a spoon. Heat the oil in a deep saucepan or deep-fat fryer to a cooking temperature of 170ºC (340ºF). (Maintain this throughout cooking.)

2. Dip each cauliflower floret in the batter, then slide it carefully into the hot oil. Cook over a medium heat for a couple of minutes on each side until golden and crispy. Remove the cooked florets with a slotted spoon and transfer to a plate lined with kitchen paper to drain.

3. To make the stir-fry, heat the oil in a separate pan or a wok over a high heat. Add the ginger and curry leaves to the pan and let them sizzle for a minute, then add the chilli-garlic sauce, followed by the measured water.

4. Allow the water to come to the boil, then add the fried cauliflower, stir quickly to cover the florets with the mixture in the pan, then remove from the pan and serve immediately.

Find more Indian recipes here.

Extracted with permission from Chetna's Indian Feasts: Everyday meals and easy entertaining by Chetna Makan. Published by Hamlyn, August 2023. Photography by Nassima Rothacker. Hardcover R715,00 (octopusbooks.co.uk)