Tarka Roasted Cauliflower - Zena's Kitchen (2024)

Jump to Recipe·Print Recipe·★★★★★5 from 25 reviews

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★★★★★5 from 25 reviews

I’m all about a veggie centrepiece these days and this one does not disappoint. It’s packed with flavour and is so simple to make. Once you’ve seared and roasted the cauliflower, you make a quick, non-traditional tarka, which gets poured over the top. Serve with flatbreads to mop up that delicious sauce and you’ve got yourself a belter of a side.

Author: zenak
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Total Time: 25 minutes
Yield: 4 1x

Ingredients

Scale

1 large cauliflower head
olive oil
100g butter
2 tsp mustard seeds
2 tsp cumin seeds
4 garlic cloves, minced
2 inch fresh ginger root, minced
30 curry leaves
1 tsp Kashmiri chilli powder
5 tbsp Greek yoghurt
Flatbreads, to serve

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Instructions

Heat your oven to 200°C / fan 180°C.
Quarter your cauliflower, then drizzle lightly with olive oil and season generously with salt and pepper.
Heat a frying pan over medium heat then sear the cauliflower until browned on both sides, around 4 mins per side.
Transfer the cauliflower to the oven and roast for 15 minutes, or until tender with a slight bite.
Meanwhile, melt the butter in a small saucepan over medium heat. It will bubble for a couple of minutes. As the bubbles die down, the milk solids will sink to the bottom and turn brown as they caramelise. When it gets to this stage, add the mustard seeds and cumin seeds and cook for 1 minute, then add the garlic, ginger, curry leaves (watch out, they’ll spit!) and kashmiri chilli powder and cook for another minute. Season with salt and pepper, to taste.
Time to assemble. Spread the greek yoghurt onto a plate and top with the cauliflower. Pour the tarka over the top then serve and enjoy! I recommend serving it with flatbreads to mop up those delicious juices.

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5 2 votes

Recipe Rating

63 Comments

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lernong eryday

1 year ago

Didn’t work- try baking for 35 minutes at 400F. Also don’t substitute vegan butter. I really wanted to love this but alas.

zenak

1 year ago

Reply to lernong eryday

I’m so sorry it didn’t quite work out for you! The roasting time depends entirely on the size of the cauliflower. The produce we get here in the UK is much smaller than you get in the US (which is presume is where you’re based given your use of Fahrenheit). If we were to cook outs for that long, it would turn to mush. As for the vegan butter, it can’t be used as a replacement here as you can’t brown it – it’s the milk solids in regular butter that enable you to achieve this. Again, I’m so sorry this didn’t work for you. If you’d like any recommendations on vegan recipes, I’ll send you some 🙂

Kym

1 year ago

I made this last night bc I saw it on TikTok and OMG BEST cauliflower dish I’ve ever made. My husband loved it and my 15 year old slurped up the sauce on his plate. I had to order some of the seeds and chili powder from Amazon and it was worth every penny! I’ll be coming to your blog on the regular.

★★★★★

zenak

1 year ago

Reply to Kym

Awww bless you! Thank you so, so much! I’m so glad you and your family enjoyed it so much 🙂

Sherri Bryant-Moore

1 year ago

Superb! So flavorful and all the wonderful textures. It was easy to make.

★★★★★

zenak

1 year ago

Reply to Sherri Bryant-Moore

I’m so glad you enjoyed it! Thanks for giving it a go 🙂

M.Abe Bendeck

1 year ago

Are the curry leaves fresh?

zenak

1 year ago

Reply to M.Abe Bendeck

They are indeed!

Raghav Jaggia

1 year ago

An absolutely delicious recipe. I would recommend cooking the cauliflower for a bit longer. Otherwise, insanely delicious.

★★★★★

zenak

1 year ago

Reply to Raghav Jaggia

I’m so glad you enjoyed it! Yes, the exact roasting time will depend on the size of the cauliflower at the end of the day 🙂

Kim Peterson

1 year ago

I saw your recipe on Tiktok and found your website. I cannot thought enough how much I love this dish, I tell everyone about it. I’ve also subbed cabbage which is also delicious and added coriander. I could eat it every day.

★★★★★

zenak

1 year ago

Reply to Kim Peterson

All bless you! What a kind comment – thank you! I’m so, so glad you enjoy it so much 🙂

sarah Issac

1 year ago

Girl Yes! I loved this! I forgot about the chilli so then I ended up finely chopping up a birds eye towards the end and just sprinkling it over the top, I needed my heat!!! all in all, my man loved this! will be making it again 🙂

★★★★★

Nicky

11 months ago

Absolutely delicious! I made this to the letter and it was wonderful, and then again with a hodge-podge of approximate spices as I’d run out of some, and it was still delicious – so a forgiving recipe too!

zenak

10 months ago

Reply to Nicky

Thank you so much! I’m so glad you enjoyed it 🙂

Sophie

11 months ago

I don’t usually do reviews but this was so delish I couldn’t not!!

★★★★★

zenak

10 months ago

Reply to Sophie

I’m so grateful for it! Very happy you enjoyed it 🙂

Karen Nelson

11 months ago

I love mustard seeds but I can’t use them because my daughter is highly allergic. Any suggestions to substitute? Thanks! 🙂

zenak

10 months ago

Reply to Karen Nelson

It’s not a direct substitution but I think caraway seeds would work quite nicely 🙂

lisa long

10 months ago

Love this cauliflower recipe. Yes, it takes much longer to roast it and yes, I got impatient and took it out too soon but next time will adjust. I didn’t have curry leaves so I used ground, used jalapeño infused olive oil and added cayenne to the yogurt. It was delicious!

★★★★★

zenak

10 months ago

Reply to lisa long

I’m so glad you enjoyed it! Roasting time will depend on the size of the cauliflower, which can differ greatly. I’m hoping the non-time indicators (colour and texture to expect) were helpful!

Lucille

10 months ago

Outstanding.. packed with flavour and a hit with vegetarian and carnivores alike!

★★★★★

zenak

4 months ago

Reply to Lucille

I’m so happy to hear it! Thanks so much for reviewing 🙂

juliet fleming

9 months ago

Outstanding! And such a quick, simple recipe. I roasted the cauli in the air fryer, after searing in the pan, which was very successful. I only had dried curry leaves but looking forward to trying it with fresh when I can get some.
This is definitely going to be a regular favourite. Thank you.

★★★★★

zenak

4 months ago

Reply to juliet fleming

It’s my absolute pleasure 🙂 I’m so glad you enjoyed it! Thank you so much for you review.

Kim

9 months ago

Pure OMGoodness! I don’t think I’ve ever been so excited about eating leftovers. It was yummy and easy to make,

★★★★★

zenak

4 months ago

Reply to Kim

Yay, I’m so glad you enjoyed it! Thank you so much for you review 🙂

JANA JOYCE

9 months ago

Friggin delish. Used ghee instead of dealing with clarifying the butter.

zenak

2 months ago

Reply to JANA JOYCE

I’m so happy to hear it!

Holly Mitchell

9 months ago

This was SO good!! Made it for the first time last night and will definitely make it again.

★★★★★

zenak

2 months ago

Reply to Holly Mitchell

I’m so happy to hear it! Thank you so much for your review 🙂

Kate

9 months ago

I regularly make this as a starter for dinner parties, deceptively easy to make for such a special dish. Definitely five stars!

★★★★★

zenak

2 months ago

Reply to Kate

I’m so happy to hear it! Thank you so much for your review 🙂

Georgia

8 months ago

Super easy to follow,delicious and simple for a weekday dinner. Has fast become an almost weekly staple.

★★★★★

zenak

2 months ago

Reply to Georgia

I’m so happy to hear it! Thank you so much for your review 🙂

Lucille

8 months ago

Absolutely delicious!

★★★★★

zenak

2 months ago

Reply to Lucille

Thank you!

JANA JOYCE

5 months ago

Delish! Used ghee instead of butter, otherwise recipe is great.

★★★★★

zenak

5 months ago

Reply to JANA JOYCE

I’m so glad you enjoyed it!

JANA JOYCE

5 months ago

★★★★★

Chrissy

5 months ago

This recipe is SO GOOD!!!!!

★★★★★

zenak

2 months ago

Reply to Chrissy

Thank you 🙂

Nicole

5 months ago

This dish is just so WOWWWW. I suggest making extra as I could not stop myself from eating it !

★★★★★

zenak

4 months ago

Reply to Nicole

I’m so glad you enjoyed it! Thank you so much for you review 🙂

Adam

5 days ago

This is an amazing recipe, quite straightforward and a total showstopper!

zenak

3 days ago

Reply to Adam

Thank you so much for your kind words! I’m so glad you enjoyed it 🙂

FAQs

Tarka Roasted Cauliflower - Zena's Kitchen? ›

If you're planning to roast the cauliflower whole or slice it into steaks, slice off the thick stem at the base. Drop the whole cauliflower head upside-down into cool, salted water. Let it soak for 10 to 15 minutes to remove dirt, residue and bugs.

Show Me More ›

Why do you soak cauliflower before cooking? ›

View Details ›

Why is my roasted cauliflower mushy? ›

First, take care not to overcrowd your pan; if the cauliflower is packed in rim-to-rim, the moisture will not be able to escape as the florets cook, which will result in soft steamed cauliflower instead of roasted. Next, don't be overly generous with the oil — a light coating is what we're after here.

Keep Reading ›

How do you clean cauliflower before roasting? ›

First, I like to remove the green stem area and wash that separately, as I like to use that when I make bone broth. Then simply run the head under water and pat dry. If you know you are going to steam or pan roast the florets, go ahead and cut them down into florets and wash in a colander.

Get More Info Here ›

Why is my cauliflower not cooking? ›

Cauliflower has a very high water content, so it won't get crispy if you bake the florets crowded together. "Be sure to give each floret a bit of room so that the they have space for airflow. I'd also recommend baking them on a silicone baking mat," says Blay.

View Details ›

Why is my roasted cauliflower not crispy? ›

DO NOT CROWD THE PAN. This is the roasted vegetable golden rule. If you crowd the pan, the cauliflower will steam instead of roast. If your cauliflower is soggy, you likely crowded the pan.

Learn More ›

Does cauliflower need to be washed before roasting? ›

Caramelization is the key to giving the roasted cauliflower flavor. Give all the florets a thorough rinse in a colander. Shake them dry. Spread the florets out in an even layer on the baking sheet.

Why does cooked cauliflower hurt my stomach? ›

Cruciferous vegetables like broccoli and cauliflower contain high levels of insoluble fiber, which can quickly lead to digestive upset, especially when consumed raw. Symptoms can include bloating, gas and cramping.

See Details ›

What brings out the flavour of cauliflower? ›

There are two really simple techniques that bring out the best in cauliflower: grilling and pickling. Dumping cauliflower florets in a mixture of salt and lemon juice for 45 minutes to an hour turns them into spiky little flavor bombs, delivering high-pitched squeaks in salads, sandwiches or the stew recipe here.

What is the secret to roasting vegetables? ›

The perfect temperature– 400 degrees Fahrenheit is the perfect temperature for most roasted vegetables. It allows for a crispy, perfectly browned exterior and a fork tender interior.

What does baking soda do to cauliflower? ›

Baking soda is often used as a natural cleaning agent, and it can be used to brighten up your veggies too. Sprinkle a little in the water before boiling to prevent cauliflower from yellowing and make corn look more vibrant.

Explore More ›

What will adding lemon juice to the water for cooking cauliflower do? ›

Food Science

Cauliflower contains some phytonutrients, these nutrients may react with iron cookware and gives the cauliflower a brownish color. To prevent this add some lemon juice to the cauliflower or to the water in which it is blanched.

Find Out More ›

What's the black stuff on cauliflower? ›

But recently, I found out those spots aren't mold at all. They're the result of oxidation. “The spots that you see on cauliflower are typically areas where the vegetable has started to age and oxidize, which can occur due to exposure to air and light,” explained Norah Clark, a chef and registered dietitian.

Why did my cauliflower turn green when I cooked it? ›

If cooked too much the cauliflower will lose its purple color and turn green ‐ which isn't bad but it will cease to look nice. Cauliflower should be dense and heavy with a satiny stem. The leaves surrounding the florets should be fresh and green.

How long does it take to cook cauliflower? ›

Cooked cauliflower florets keep their shape best when steamed (5-10 mins) – remember to place them upright in the steamer. It can also be boiled (takes 5-10 mins for florets; around 10 mins for a whole cauliflower). For both cooking methods, test regularly with the tip of a knife to make sure they don't overcook.

Find Out More ›

How long to soak cauliflower in vinegar water? ›

Produce with rough outer skin: Items such as broccoli, potatoes and cauliflower are a little harder to clean. Soak in a solution of 1 part vinegar to 3 parts water for 1 minute. For heads of cabbage or lettuce, it's best to separate the leaves first.

Get More Info Here ›

Is it worth marinating cauliflower? ›

Mildly Marinated Cauliflower is the perfect balance of pickling spices. There's a sweet tang that children will love and don't hesitate to add it to salads.