Cauliflower tikka

Serves 4

Preparation: 15 minutes
Marinating time: 3½ hours
Cooking time: 30 minutes

This dish has lots of delicious sauce that needs lots of fresh naan

Ingredients
1 large cauliflower or 2 medium cauliflowers, cut into largish florets
1 tbsp fenugreek leaves or 1 tsp garam masala
100ml double cream
25g butter

Ingredients for the yoghurt mix
75ml natural yoghurt
2 garlic cloves, peeled and finely chopped
2 cm ginger, peeled and finely chopped
½ tsp salt
1 tsp aleppo pepper chilli powder
1 tsp garam masala
1 tsp Kashmiri chilli powder *
1 tsp ground turmeric - split
1 tsp paprika
1 tsp ground cumin
1½ tbsp lemon juice

* these ingredients are optional, if you don’t want to get the different chilli powders, just replace with ordinary chilli powder and add a tsp extra

Ingredients for the sauce
25g butter
2 garlic cloves, peeled and finely chopped
2 cm ginger, peeled and finely chopped
1 tsp salt
1 tsp aleppo pepper chilli powder
1 tsp garam masala
1 tsp Kashmiri chilli powder *
1 tsp ground turmeric
2 tsps paprika
1 tsp ground cumin
3 cardamom pods, crushed
1 black cardamom pod *
1 tsp ground coriander
1 tbsp curry powder
100g tomato purée
2 tbsps Sugar
2 tbsp ground almonds
½ tsp amchoor powder or 2 tbsp lemon juice
400g passata

Method
Preheat the oven to 180c.

Soak the fenugreek leaves in 2 tbsp water if you are using.

Mix together the yogurt ingredients and add to your cauliflower and carefully turn over to ensure everything is properly coated. 

Spread the cauliflower out on to a large baking tray and cook for around 40 minutes turning after 20 minutes.  You want the cauliflower to be soft but still holding together.

Meanwhile move on to the sauce.  Heat a heavy based pan over a medium heat and add 25g of the butter.  When the butter has melted add the garlic and ginger and cook for 2 minutes.  Add the whole spices and ground spices and stir and cook until you can smell the aromas. Add the tomato purée, sugar, ground almonds and the amchoor powder and cook for a further minute, stirring all the time so you cook out the raw tomato taste, add the passata and cook for another couple of mins. Put the lid on, turn the heat to low and leave this cooking for 15-20 minutes to develop the flavours.

When the cauliflower is ready, put it into the sauce along with the cream, butter, fenugreek leaves and water and gently but thoroughly stir.

Once everything is fully combined, taste for balance and seasoning.  I have found this sometimes needs additional salt.  The sauce will be a little acidic because of all of the tomatoes but should not be too bad.  If the balance is not quite right add another tbsp of sugar.

Serve with basmati rice and lots of naan bread to soak up the juices.

Tip:
Different tomatoes and tomato purées have different acidity levels so may need more or less sugar/cream or dairy to balance it.