Gobi 65 (Crispy Indian Cauliflower) - Air Fryer

Name: Gobi 65 (Crispy Indian Cauliflower) - Air fryer
Prep time: 5 min
Cook time: 30 min
Total time: 35 min
Ingredients: 1 small head cauliflower; ½ tsp salt; ¼ tsp turmeric powder; ¼ cup rice flour; ¼ cup cornstarch; 2 tbsp yogurt; 1 sprig curry leaves (finely chopped); 2 tsp ginger garlic paste; 1 tsp Kashmiri chili powder; ½ tsp garam masala; 1 tsp oil; ½ tsp salt; 2 tbsp yogurt; ½ tsp red chili powder; ½ tsp garam masala; 1 tbsp oil; ½ tsp cumin seeds; 1 sprig curry leaves; 1 inch ginger (finely chopped); 3-4 cloves garlic (finely chopped); 2 green chilies (slit and desseded); ½ tsp salt; 2 tbsp cilantro

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5 from 83 votes

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Get your snack fix with Gobi 65 - the perfect balance of crunch and flavor. This delicious dish features crispy deep-fried cauliflower florets coated in a tangy and fiery sauce, making it a satisfying treat for any time of day.

Whether you're looking for a quick snack or want to impress your guests, Gobi 65 is the way to go. Want more? Here is my collection of Indian cauliflower recipes.

Gobi 65 placed in a brown bowl with a fried chili on top.

Gobi 65, also known as cauliflower 65, is a beloved street food and bar snack from Chennai, South India. This dish features deep-fried cauliflower florets sautéed in a blend of sauces and spices, similar to the American buffalo wings.

This dish is a vegetarian take on the classic bar snack, chicken 65. To make crispy gobi 65, cauliflower florets are marinated, deep-fried, and seasoned in a fiery, tangy, and garlicky sauce. With this tried and tested recipe, you can recreate restaurant-quality gobi 65 at home without deep frying.

Why you will love this recipe?

The fiery and tangy flavors of cauliflower 65 create a burst of deliciousness and leave you wanting more.
Whether you serve it as an appetizer or snack on game day, or as a side dish with Indian meals, crispy cauliflower 65 is versatile and is perfect for parties and gatherings.
This dish is ideal for meal preparation and can be frozen, making it a convenient option to enjoy on a busy day.

Close up of gobi 65 showing the correct texture.

Ingredients

Cauliflower: Use fresh cauliflower with a firm head.

Marination: The cauliflower florets are marinated in rice flour, corn starch, ginger garlic paste, yogurt, curry leaves, garam masala, and red chili powder (or cayenne).

Tempering: We need cumin seeds, ginger, garlic, yogurt, garam masala, green chili peppers, curry leaves, and cilantro.

Step-by-step instructions

Step 1: Cut the cauliflower into medium-sized florets. Boil water in a large pot and add ½ teaspoon of salt and ¼ teaspoon of turmeric powder. Place the cauliflower in the hot water and let it sit for 5 minutes. Drain all the water from the cauliflower and set it aside (images 1 and 2).

Step 2: In a wide bowl, combine the ingredients for the marinade - rice flour, corn flour, yogurt, finely chopped curry leaves, ginger garlic paste, chili powder, garam masala powder, oil, and salt. Mix well to form a thick batter. The batter should be almost a paste consistency (images 3 and 4).

Step 3: Add the blanched cauliflower to the batter. Mix well, making sure the florets are well coated. Let it sit for 15-20 minutes (images 5 and 6).

Step 4: Lightly grease the air fryer basket with oil. Place the cauliflower in a single layer. Air fry at 350 F (180 C) for 15 minutes or until the cauliflower florets are crispy and golden brown. Shake the basket after around 7 minutes (images 7 and 8).

Step 5: Set aside the crispy and golden brown cauliflower florets (image 9).

Step 6: In a small mixing bowl, take yogurt, garam masala, red chilli powder, and salt. Whisk it well, making sure there are no lumps. Set it aside (images 10 and 11).

Step 7: Heat oil in a frying pan or kadhai and add cumin seeds. Once it splutters, add curry leaves, ginger, garlic, and green chillies. Saute for a few seconds. Reduce the heat to low and add the yogurt mixture (images 12 and 13).

Step 8: Keep stirring for 1-2 minutes until it thickens. Add the fried gobi to the mixture (images 14 and 15).

Step 9: Toss on high heat for one minute. Top with cilantro and serve hot (images 16 and 17).

Expert Tips

Make sure the cauliflower you choose has a tight and firm head. The cauliflower florets should be compact, and the leaves must be green and crisp.

I am making the batter using rice flour and cornstarch, making this dish gluten-free. However, you can also use all-purpose flour (plain flour) and chickpea flour (gram flour).

The consistency of the batter used to marinate the cauliflower is very important to get the crispy texture of the cauliflower. The batter should be thick (like idli batter or thick bajji batter) and should coat the cauliflower well. To check the consistency, scoop out some batter with your hands - it should not be flowy or runny.

Use broccoli in this recipe instead of cauliflower to make broccoli 65. Adjust the cooking time accordingly. Also, check out this recipe to make delicious malai broccoli.

Recipe FAQs

How to make gobi 65 ahead of time?

To make cauliflower 65 ahead, fry the cauliflower and keep the ingredients of the tadka/tempering ready. Just before serving, make the tadka and toss the fried cauliflower in it. You can drizzle some lemon juice (or lime juice) just before serving.

Can I make cauliflower 65 in an oven?

You can bake the marinated cauliflower florets in the oven. Preheat the oven to 350 F (180 C) and bake the cauliflower for 15-20 minutes. Then, prepare the tempering as per this recipe in a frying pan and add the baked cauliflower florets.

Why is the Gobi 65 called so?

This dish is a popular take on chicken 65, which originated in Chennai and is served as an appetizer or quick snack. It is believed to have been invented in the Buhari's restaurant, and has several theories behind the name - it was invented in the year 1965, it was the 65th item on their menu, it used 65 chili peppers, and so on. There are also other bizarre theories, like the chicken is marinated for 65 days or that it is cut into 65 pieces. Despite what the story behind it is, this dish is hugely popular now, not only in Chennai but across India.

Gobi 65 placed on a marble surface with curry leaves in background.

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