Mughlai Gobhi in Walnut Pomegranate Gravy
Mughlai Gobhi in Walnut Pomegranate Gravy — a truly show-stopping holiday entree that earns all of its praise from a velvety gravy made with saffron, fresh pomegranate juice, and thyme. The cauliflower has a golden-brown sear and is stuffed with a bright paneer, cranberry, and herb filling. With sweetness, richness, and tartness in every bite, savor the joy of the holiday season with this heartwarming dish!
Ingredients
Cauliflower:
- 1 medium cauliflower
- 3 medium onions , or shallots
- 3 thai green chilies
- 4 cloves garlic , roughly chopped
- 1 inch ginger , roughly chopped
- 2 tbsp walnuts
- 2 tbsp cashews
- 1 1/2 cup water , for boiling
- 1/2 tsp ghee
- 1 inch cinnamon sticks
- 3 cardamom pods
- 1 black cardamom pod
- 3 cloves
- 1 bay leaves
Gravy:
- 2 tbsp oil
- 1 tbsp butter
- 1/4 cup yogurt
- pinch turmeric powder
- 1 1/2 tsp coriander powder
- 1/4 cup pomegranate juice , freshly squeezed & strained
- 1/2 tsp garam masala
- 1/4 tsp black pepper
- salt , to taste
- 1 tsp sugar , more as needed
- 8-10 strands saffron
- 1/4 tsp rosemary , fresh if possible
- 1/4 tsp thyme , fresh if possible
- 1/2 cup milk , more as needed
- 3 tbsp cream
Stuffing:
- 1/4 cup paneer , roughly chopped
- 2 tbsp parmesan cheese
- 1/4 tsp rosemary , fresh if possible
- 1/4 tsp thyme , fresh if possible
- 2-3 leaves fresh mint
- 1 tbsp cilantro
- 2 tbsp cranberries , chopped
- 1/4 tsp salt , to taste
- 1/4 tsp red chili powder , or chili flakes
- 1 tbsp water
Garnish:
- pomegranate seeds
- feta cheese , crumbled
- mixed herbs , finely chopped
- pistachio , slivered
Instructions
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To steam the cauliflower, start by boiling water in a pan. Add in your onions, green chili, ginger, garlic, whole spices, ghee, walnuts, and cashews. Mix gently.
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Place your cauliflower in the same pan with a steamer basket and let cook covered on medium heat for 8-10 minutes. The cauliflower should be fork tender but still slightly firm when it’s ready to take out since we will be baking it. Let the cauliflower cool.
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To make the gravy, remove the cinnamon, black cardamom, and bay leaf from your boiled onion mixture. Transfer to a blender and blend with yogurt until smooth.
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In a heavy-bottomed saucepan, add in oil, butter, blended gravy, coriander, and turmeric. Add 1/4 cup water to the blender to get the remaining gravy and add to the pan. Mix well and let simmer for 5 minutes.
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Now, add in your pomegranate juice and cook covered for 5 minutes. Add in your salt, sugar, black pepper, and garam masala and simmer for a minute. Then add in your milk, saffron, thyme, rosemary, and cream. Mix and let cook for 2 minutes. Take off the heat and your gravy is ready.
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To make the stuffing, add all your ingredients into a food processor and blend until everything combines. It should be a thick paste consistency since we will be putting it in a piping bag. Add a little water if necessary.
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To assemble the dish, grease an oven-safe baking with some oil. Fill your piping bag with the stuffing and pipe as much filling as you can into the cauliflower from the bottom. Be careful not to break the cauliflower.
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Place the cauliflower filling-side down on your baking dish and generously brush with a little melted butter and 2 tbsp of the gravy. Bake at 350°F / 175°C for 10-15 minutes until the cauliflower is nice and golden brown.
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When ready to serve, heat your gravy fully and spoon about half into your serving dish. Place your baked cauliflower in the middle and then pour the remaining gravy on the sides. Garnish with pomegranate seeds, feta, pistachio, and herbs. Enjoy!
Recipe Video
Recipe Notes
- If you are serving this at a party, you can make the gravy and boil and stuff the cauliflower the day before. Store them in the fridge. When ready to serve, make sure to thoroughly heat the gravy, bake the cauliflower, and assemble as normal.
- I like to serve this with Persian rice or pilaf.