Gobi Musallam

The first time I saw this dish, I was amazed. Why?? because it was an attraction of the entire party. The dish was rich and creamy yet flavourful. The full floret of a cauliflower was cooked to perfection and the florets were marinated, that the very bite was juicy and crispy!!

So then I went to Google and searched a bit to find out more. This is an adaptation of the famous Awadhi Recipe, Murg Musallam. The very word means whole. A full chicken is stuffed with eggs and rubbed with spices and cooked. This wonderful dish was tried with Cauliflower and guess what it is a super hit!!!

I have been wanting to make Gobi Musallam for a very long time. But has always stopped me from doing it. Finally finally the day arrived and guess what?? It was just yummy.I did fall upon a lot of recipes on Google, but nothing impressed me great. So I used the recipe of my Mutter Paneer and the marinade I use to make Paneer Tikka.

What would you need:

1. Cauliflower – 1 small floret
2. Water – enough to immerse the floret
3. Turmeric Powder – ½ tsp

 For the Gravy:

1. Onion – 2 medium sized (cubed)
2. Tomatoes – 2 medium sized (cubed)
3. Cashew Nuts – 4
4. Ginger Garlic Paste – 1 tsp
5. Bedki Chillies – 3
6. Kashmiri Chilli Powder – 1 tsp
7. Coriander Powder – 1 tsp
8. Jeera Powder – ½ tsp
9. Garam Masala – 1 tsp
10. Salt – to taste
11. Oil – 1 ½ tbsp.
12. Sugar – 1 tsp

 For the marinade:

1.  Hung Yoghurt/ Thick Curd – ½ cup
2. Ginger Garlic Paste – ½ tsp
3. Salt – to taste
4. Kashmiri Chilli Powder – 1 tsp
5. Coriander Powder – 1 tsp
6. Jeera Powder – ½ tsp
7. Garam Masala Powder – ½ tsp
8. Kasuri Methi – ½ tsp

How to go about it:

Prepare the Cauliflower:

• Trim the greens of the floret and the hard stem. Clean the floret and keep aside.
• Now, boil water (good enough to immerse the floret fully) with some turmeric powder.
• Immerse the floret for about 10 minutes head down. Invert the floret head up and immerse again for another 10 minutes. Do not cover the vessel. This is just to blanch the floret. They should remain crisp.

 Marination:

• Mix all the ingredients listed under ‘For the marinade’.
• Now, apply the marinade all around the blanched floret covering all the crevices. Refrigerate the floret for about 2 hours.

 Gravy Preparation:

• In a pan, add about a tsp of oil. Once the oil is hot, add the onions and sauté until they become translucent.
• Add the ginger garlic paste, bedki chillies & the tomatoes. Fry again until the tomatoes turn mushy.
• Add the cashew nuts and take the pan off heat.
• Cool this mixture completely and grind to a smooth paste, by adding very little water
• In the same, add some oil. Before the oil is too hot, add the dry powders i.e. Kashmiri Chilli Powder, Coriander Powder, Jeera Powder and half of the Garam Masala Powder and let it mildly fry in oil. Do not let it burn.
• Add the ground paste, salt and sugar. Cover the pan and cook until you can see specks of oil on the gravy.
• Now, add water (about 1 ½ cups) to the gravy. Place the marinated floret head down in the gravy. Cover and cook for at least 15 – 12 minutes, occasionally checking the gravy to prevent it from burning.

• Once, you see the head of the floret has been cooked, turn over the floret and keep is head up and cook the same way. If you feel the gravy has thickened add a bit of water and cook again.
• Once the floret is cooked thoroughly, remove from heat and serve hot.

 Few more:

• The floret can even be baked at 180°C for 5 – 8 minutes for each side.
• For serving, cut the floret into pieces and serve with the gravy.
• Keep checking the gravy to avoid it to stick to the bottom of the pan and get burnt.

 Njoy with your loved ones...

Luv..

Champa