• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar

My Cooking Journey logo

  • Home
  • Recipes
menu icon
go to homepage
  • Home
  • Recipes
search icon
Homepage link
  • Home
  • Recipes
×

Home » Side Dishes

Published: Sep 26, 2020 · Modified: Feb 4, 2021 by Sandhya Ramakrishnan · This post may contain affiliate links

Achari Gobhi | Cauliflower Curry in Pickling Masala

Jump to Recipe

Achari Gobhi is a delicious curry made with cauliflower / Gobhi simmered in freshly ground spice mixture. Serve it with roti or Dal Chawal (Dal and rice) to make it a comforting meal.

Cauliflower curry in a blue bowl garnished with cilantro and roti in the background

Cauliflower is a vegetable liked by all in my house and I cook with it frequently. This specific curry - Achari Gobhi is something that I have never heard of until I made it this time.

When discussing various recipes to cook with cauliflower in one of the online forums, someone had mentioned Achari Gobi. Since this was something that I have never heard before, I researched online and found that this a tangy spicy masala in which the cauliflower is cooked in.

It is sort of a dry subzi/masala and goes really well with roti or Dal Chawal (rice and lentils). The star of the dish is the pickling masala in which the cauliflower is cooked.

Sign up to my newsletter

Achari gobhi curry in a bowl with phulka

Cooking the Gobhi / Cauliflower

In any recipe with cauliflower, shallow frying the vegetable makes it less mushy. The same goes for this cauliflower in pickling spice recipe. Lately I have been doing this in my Air Fryer.

Precooking / frying the cauliflower in the air fryer saves so much of hands on time and the gobi maintain its shape very well in the curry. This is going to be my to go method for precooking the gobi.

Ingredients to make Achari Gobhi

Check the recipe card at the bottom of the page for exact measurements and printable detailed recipe.

Cauliflower - Choose a nice firm head of cauliflower and separate them into florets. I used a large head of cauliflower and kept the florets soaked in water until ready to use.

Pickling spice - We make our own blend of pickling spice from red chilies fenugreek seeds, coriander seeds, nigella seeds / Kalonji, mustard seeds, cumin seeds, and fennel seeds

Lemon juice - to mix with the pickling spice powder

Onion - Use red, yellow or sweet onion and chop it finely.

Tomato puree - I pureed my own tomatoes and used them.

Ginger and Garlic - Use fresh or paste.

Yogurt - Use plain yogurt. I use homemade yogurt, whisked slightly. If you want to make this vegan, use any non dairy yogurt instead.

Spice powder - We will use turmeric powder and Red chili powder in the recipe.

Whole spices - We need mustard seeds, nigella seeds and cinnamon stick.

Oil, Salt and Sugar

Cilantro - to garnish

Step by step Process

To make the pickling spice powder

  • In a pan, dry roast all the spices mentioned for the masala until aromatic. Let it cool down and then grind it to a powder. I used my spice powder to grind the masala.
roasting the ingredients for spice powder and ground spice powder
  • Transfer the masala into a bowl and then add the lemon juice to it. Mix well and keep it aside.

To make the Gobi Achari

  • Separate the florets from the cauliflower and clean them. In a pan, heat about 2 tablespoons of oil and then sauté the florets with some salt until they are half cooked and slightly starts to change color. Transfer the florets to a bowl.
  • I did this exact same thing in my Air Fryer. Layer the cauliflower and spray / brush some oil. Fry in 400 F for about 10 to 12 minutes. Shake the basket once in a while and remove when the florets are lightly browned
cauliflower roasted in air fryer
  • In the same pan, add the remaining oil. Add the mustard seeds, nigella seeds and cinnamon stick and fry for a minute until aromatic.
  • Now add chopped onions and salt and sauté until the onions are translucent.
  • Add the ginger and garlic to the onions.
  • Add the prepared pickling masala to the onions and mix well. Cook the masala in medium heat until the spices are cooked through and the oil starts to separate. This should take a good 10 minutes, so keep stirring the masala to avoid burning them.
process shot to make cauliflower curry
  • Add the tomato puree, turmeric powder, red chili powder and the sugar. Cook the gravy until everything comes together (for about 5-7 minutes).
  • Add the cauliflower florets and yogurt and mix well. Continue to cook on low-medium heat and check for seasonings. Make sure that the heat is low, otherwise the yogurt will curdle and separate.
  • Once everything comes together, turn off the flame and garnish the Achari Gobi with cilantro.
process shot to make gobi achari
  • Serve the Achari Gobhi hot with rice or roti!

Expert Tips and FAQ's

  • Pre cooking the cauliflower helps maintain the shape without becoming mushy in the curry.
  • Make the pickling spice fresh to have the best taste.
  • Is the Curry Vegan? I have used yogurt in the recipe. If wanting to make this vegan, please substitute with non dairy yogurt.
  • Serving suggestions - Serve it as a side with rice and dal. It also works very well with Phulka or Poori.

More Recipes with Cauliflower / Gobi

Caulifower Kurma - A flavorful Vegan Cauliflower Kurma / Curry made with Cauliflower florets and simple Indian spices. The aroma of this curry will make you come back for more. It pairs really well with rice or Indian flatbread.

Oven roasted cauliflower - One of the simplest and most flavorful recipe to make with cauliflower is this oven roasted cauliflower flavored with cumin and cilantro.

Gobi Manchurian - Gobi Manchurian is an all time favorite Indo-Chinese style street food. Using an air fryer to fry the cauliflower is a guilt free way to indulge often.

Gobhi Paratha - A flavorful Indian flatbread stuffed with spicy cauliflower curry. It is the best choice to pack for lunch boxes or picnic lunches.

 If you made this recipe and liked it, give a star rating on the recipe card or let me know in the comments below. You could also share it with me on Instagram using #MyCookingJourney and tagging me @sandhya.ramakrishnan. You could follow me and my recipes on Facebook |Instagram | Pinterest | twitter

cauliflower subzi in a bowl

Achari Gobhi | Cauliflower Curry in Pickling Masala

Achari Gobhi is a delicious curry made with cauliflower / Gobhi simmered in freshly ground spice mixture. Serve it with roti or Dal Chawal (Dal and rice) to make it a comforting meal.
5 from 7 votes
Print Pin Rate
Course: Side Dish
Cuisine: Indian
Diet: Vegan, Vegetarian
Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cook Time: 30 minutes
Total Time: 50 minutes
Servings: 4 servings
Calories: 208kcal
Author: Sandhya Ramakrishnan

Equipment

  • Air fryer

Ingredients

  • 1 Large Cauliflower florets separated
  • 1 Onion finely chopped
  • ¾ cup Tomato puree - ½ cup I used 3 tomatoes and made it into puree
  • 2 cloves Garlic minced
  • ½ inch Ginger grated finely
  • ½ cup Yogurt
  • 1 teaspoon Chili powder
  • ½ teaspoon Turmeric powder
  • 1 tablespoon Sugar
  • 2 tablespoon Oil
  • 1 teaspoon Mustard seeds -
  • 1 teaspoon Nigella seeds / Kalonji
  • 1 inch Cinnamon stick
  • to taste Salt
  • to garnish Cilantro
  • 2 tablespoon Lemon juice

For the Pickling Masala

  • 3 Red chili
  • ½ teaspoon Fenugreek seeds
  • 1 teaspoon Coriander seeds
  • 1 teaspoon Nigella seeds
  • 1 teaspoon Mustard seeds
  • 1 teaspoon Cumin seeds
  • 1 teaspoon Fennel seeds

Instructions

To make the pickling spice powder

  • In a pan, dry roast all the spices mentioned for the masala until aromatic. Let it cool down and then grind it to a powder. I used my spice powder to grind the masala.
  • Transfer the masala into a bowl and then add the lemon juice to it. Mix well and keep it aside.

To make the Gobi Achari

  • Separate the florets from the cauliflower and clean them. In a pan, heat about 2 tablespoons of oil and then sauté the florets with some salt until they are half cooked and slightly starts to change color. Transfer the florets to a bowl.
  • I did this exact same thing in my Air Fryer. Layer the cauliflower and spray / brush some oil. Fry in 400 F for about 10 to 12 minutes. Shake the basket once in a while and remove when the florets are lightly browned
  • In the same pan, add the remaining oil. Add the mustard seeds, nigella seeds and cinnamon stick and fry for a minute until aromatic.
  • Now add chopped onions and salt and sauté until the onions are translucent.
  • Add the ginger and garlic to the onions.
  • Add the prepared pickling masala to the onions and mix well. Cook the masala in medium heat until the spices are cooked through and the oil starts to separate. This should take a good 10 minutes, so keep stirring the masala to avoid burning them.
  • Add the tomato puree, turmeric powder, red chili powder and the sugar. Cook the gravy until everything comes together (for about 5-7 minutes).
  • Add the cauliflower florets and yogurt and mix well. Continue to cook on low-medium heat and check for seasonings. Make sure that the heat is low, otherwise the yogurt will curdle and separate.
  • Once everything comes together, turn off the flame and garnish the Achari Gobi with cilantro.
  • Serve the Achari Gobhi hot with rice or roti!

Notes

Expert Tips and FAQ's
  • Pre cooking the cauliflower helps maintain the shape without becoming mushy in the curry.
  • Make the pickling spice fresh to have the best taste.
  • Is the Curry Vegan? I have used yogurt in the recipe. If wanting to make this vegan, please substitute with non dairy yogurt.
  • Serving suggestions - Serve it as a side with rice and dal. It also works very well with Phulka or Poori.

Nutrition

Calories: 208kcal | Carbohydrates: 28g | Protein: 8g | Fat: 10g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 4mg | Sodium: 109mg | Potassium: 1062mg | Fiber: 7g | Sugar: 14g | Vitamin A: 802IU | Vitamin C: 160mg | Calcium: 120mg | Iron: 3mg
Tried this recipe?Mention @Sandhya.Ramakrishnan or tag #MyCookingJourney!
« Flourless Banana Oat Breakfast Bars
Pachai Payaru Sweet Sundal | Whole Moong Dal Sweet Sundal »

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Amy Nash says

    January 17, 2021 at 11:42 pm

    5 stars
    Cauliflower is one of my favorite veggies because it is so filling. I was looking for a new way of using it though since I overbought and had extra in the fridge. This was delicious!

    Reply
  2. Moop Brown says

    January 17, 2021 at 10:42 pm

    5 stars
    This dish looks so delicious and yummy. What a tasty looking combination of flavors also!

    Reply
  3. Elaine says

    January 17, 2021 at 4:25 pm

    5 stars
    One of the most delicious cauliflower curries I have seen! Definitely a must if you love cauliflower and want to consume more of it!

    Reply
    • Sandhya Ramakrishnan says

      January 17, 2021 at 6:29 pm

      Thanks a lot Elaine!

      Reply
  4. Alex says

    January 17, 2021 at 2:18 pm

    I'm always trying to find a way to make cauliflower more delicious! I definitely need to try this. It sounds so flavorful!

    Reply
    • Sandhya Ramakrishnan says

      January 17, 2021 at 6:29 pm

      Thanks Alex!

      Reply
  5. Beth says

    January 17, 2021 at 11:48 am

    5 stars
    All your tips for making this delicious gobhi cauliflower are so much fun to read, and it sounds delish! I am lucky I have a good market near me where I can shop for the nigella and fenugreek that I don't yet have.

    Reply
    • Sandhya Ramakrishnan says

      January 17, 2021 at 6:30 pm

      Thanks Beth! Glad you found the recipe fun.

      Reply
  6. Kathryn Donangelo says

    January 14, 2021 at 10:16 am

    5 stars
    Love new recipes that are easy to make and this was delicious. I loved all of the spices and ingredients in this and it was a great way to use up my cauliflower!

    Reply
  7. Jo says

    January 13, 2021 at 3:42 am

    Achari flavors are so comforting for cold winter weather! Any veggie with achari flavors is hard to resist!

    Reply
  8. Chef Dennis says

    January 12, 2021 at 3:54 am

    5 stars
    Wow! I am a fan of Indian recipes and this Cauliflower Curry looks sooo delicious that I can't stop myself from craving!

    Reply
  9. Bernice Hill says

    January 11, 2021 at 7:37 pm

    5 stars
    What a great idea to use an air fryer to pre cook the cauliflower...I can't stand mushy vegetables. The mixture of spices just sounds incredible too.

    Reply

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Recipe Rating




This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

Primary Sidebar

Sandhya

I am Sandhya Ramakrishnan, author, recipe developer and photographer in this journey! 'My Cooking Journey' is all about family friendly Vegetarian and Vegan recipes from around the World with focus on Indian cuisine.

Learn More about me →

Popular Posts

  • Boulanee Katchalu | Afghani Bolani | Stuffed Flatbread
  • Xian Bing | Chinese Stuffed Pancake - Vegetarian
  • Spicy Roasted Makhana | Roasted Foxnut
  • Gur Papdi | Gol Papdi | Sukhdi
  • Saag Aloo | Vegan Spinach And Potato Curry
  • 4 Ingredients Fruit Salad With Mango Pulp
  • Ginger Chutney | Andhra Allam Pachadi
  • Kerala Style Peas Masala Curry

Street Foods

  • Spicy Schezwan Fried Rice
  • Bhutte Ka Kees | Indore Style Grated Corn Snack
  • Churumuri | Beach Style Masala Pori
  • Green Peas Kachori | Bengali Matar Kachori
  • Air Fryer Arancini | Italian Rice Balls
  • Gobi Manchurian | Cauliflower Manchurian
  • Masala Chaas | Spiced Buttermilk
  • Dry Garlic Chutney Powder Recipe

Sign Up to Newsletter

Footer

↑ back to top

About

  • Privacy Policy
  • About

Contact

  • Contact

As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

Copyright © 2022 · MyCookingJourney LLC

Sign Up to Newsletter

We'll keep you in the loop with our latest news and new content that we add at MyCookingJourney.com.

Enjoy the journey with us and share it with your family and friends!