Cauliflower khasta
Item 1 of 1
- medium
- 5
- 1 hour 20 minutes
This cauliflower recipe celebrates the brassica in a variety of ways. The samosa-like khasta are filled with a charred cauliflower mixture, which are accompanied by vibrant red florets of pickled cauliflower and a smooth cauliflower chutney. Topped off with grated cauliflower and dried cauliflower slices, it's a fantastic vegetarian dish that elevates the humble vegetable to new heights.
First published in 2019
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Ingredients
Metric
Imperial
- 10 sheets of filo pastry
- 2 cauliflowers, cut into florets
- 250g of yoghurt, hung overnight in muslin cloth over a bowl in the fridge
- 50g of ginger-garlic paste
- 25g of Kashmiri chilli powder
- 15g of garam masala
- 1 lime, juiced
- 25ml of mustard oil
- 5g of fenugreek leaves, dried
- 20g of ginger, finely chopped
- 20g of green chillies, finely chopped
- 20g of coriander, finely chopped
- salt
- 1 tbsp of vegetable oil
- 1 tbsp of unsalted butter
- coriander cress, or coriander leaves, to garnish
- baby purple basil, to garnish (optional)
cauliflower pickle
- 1 cauliflower, small
- 1 tbsp of panch poran
- 40g of jaggery, or palm sugar
- 60g of granulated sugar
- 1/2 tsp asafoetida
- 1 tsp turmeric
- 1 tsp red chilli powder
- 1 tbsp of ground coriander
- 50ml of white wine vinegar
- 100ml of mustard oil
- salt
cauliflower chutney
- 1 cauliflower, chopped
- 1 tsp cumin seeds
- 1/2 tsp turmeric
- 4 green chillies, chopped
- 30g of ginger, roughly chopped
- 1 tsp salt
- 1/2 bunch of coriander, stems only
- 100ml of rapeseed oil
- 1 lime, juiced
- 100ml of water
SAVE RECIPE
Method
1
Begin by making the cauliflower pickle (this can be done a few days in advance if needed). Cut the cauliflower into small florets, ensuring any trimmings are reserved for garnish. Blanch them in salted boiling water for 3–4 minutes, then drain and set aside in a plastic container
- 1 cauliflower, small
2
Heat the mustard oil in a large pan and add the panch phoron. Once crackling, add the rest of the ingredients with a pinch of salt. Leave to cook for a minute or two until the sugar has dissolved, then pour the mixture over the cauliflower florets. Cover and set aside until ready to serve
- 100ml of mustard oil
- 1 tbsp of panch poran
- 40g of jaggery, or palm sugar
- 60g of granulated sugar
- 1/2 tsp asafoetida
- 1 tsp turmeric
- 1 tsp red chilli powder
- 1 tbsp of ground coriander
- 50ml of white wine vinegar
- salt
3
For the cauliflower chutney (which can be made up to a day in advance), pour the rapeseed oil into a large pan over a medium heat. Add the cumin seeds, and once they begin to crackle add the chopped chillies and ginger. Cook for 3–4 minutes, then add the cauliflower and stir
- 100ml of rapeseed oil
- 1 tsp cumin seeds
- 4 green chillies, chopped
- 30g of ginger, roughly chopped
- 1 cauliflower, chopped
4
Add the turmeric powder and salt, then cook over a low heat for 8–10 minutes, stirring regularly so the mixture doesn’t stick. Add the water and coriander stems, cover and cook for 7–8 minutes
5
Strain the contents of the pan into a blender (reserving the liquid) and blitz until completely smooth. You may need to add a little of the cooking water to achieve a mayonnaise-like consistency. Add the lime juice, check the balance of seasoning and transfer to a squeezy bottle. Set aside until ready to serve
- 1 lime, juiced
6
At this point, you can use the reserved cauliflower trimmings to create a garnish. Set one piece aside for grating over the dish, and slice the rest as thinly as possible. These can be placed in a dehydrator until completely crisp, or left in a low oven overnight. This step is optional – you can serve the khastas, chutney and pickle on their own if preferred
7
To make the khasta, blanch the cauliflower florets in salted boiling water for 3 minutes. Drain and set aside to cool
- 2 cauliflowers, cut into florets
8
Meanwhile, mix together the hung yoghurt, ginger-garlic paste, Kashmiri chilli powder, fenugreek leaves, garam masala, lime juice and mustard oil with a large pinch of salt. Toss the florets in the yoghurt marinade until evenly coated
- 250g of yoghurt, hung overnight in muslin cloth over a bowl in the fridge
- 25g of Kashmiri chilli powder
- 15g of garam masala
- 1 lime, juiced
- 25ml of mustard oil
- salt
- 50g of ginger-garlic paste
- 5g of fenugreek leaves, dried
9
At Rohit's restaurant Kutir, these florets are placed onto skewers and cooked in a charcoal tandoor for 6–8 minutes. At home, however, you can either barbecue the florets or place them under a hot grill, turning regularly, until charred and tender (about 8 minutes)
10
Finely chop the cooked cauliflower florets into a fine mince, then combine with the ginger, coriander and green chilli
- 20g of ginger, finely chopped
- 20g of green chillies, finely chopped
- 20g of coriander, finely chopped
11
Take each sheet of filo pastry and place a spoonful of the cauliflower mixture in the centre. Fold the pastry over to create a triangle, ensuring there is enough filling to give them height, then seal with a little water and trim to neaten up. Repeat with the remaining sheets of filo until you have 10 neat triangular parcels
- 10 sheets of filo pastry
12
Heat the oil and butter in a large non-stick pan until the butter melts. Add the khastas and gently cook on both sides until golden brown and crispy (you may need to do this in batches)
- 1 tbsp of vegetable oil
- 1 tbsp of unsalted butter
13
To serve, place 2 cauliflower khastas on each plate. Arrange the drained pickled cauliflower florets around them, then pipe generous dots of the cauliflower chutney. Finish with the dehydrated cauliflower slices (if using), some grated raw cauliflower and the coriander. Serve immediately
- coriander cress, or coriander leaves, to garnish
- baby purple basil, to garnish (optional)
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