Cauliflower Chaat for One Recipe (2024)

These are but one example of each:chaat masala1/4 cup cumin seeds1 tbsp black peppercorns1/4 cup dried mango powder2 tbsp black salt1 1/2 tbsp salt1/2 tsp asafoetidagaram masala1/2 cup cumin seeds1/2 cup cardamoms1/4 cup black peppercorns1/4 cup coriander seeds3 tbsp fennel seeds2 tbsp cloves10 cinnamon sticks , 50 mm. (2”) each1/4 cup bayleaves2 tbsp caraway seeds1 tbsp nutmeg powder , optional1/2 tbsp dried ginger powder

You can replace the chaat masala with curry powder and double the lemon added to the cauliflower. Slightly different taste but works very well. You should be able to find regular or hot or madras curry powder in most Safeways these days.

if local markets don't have it, you can make chaat masala. there are lots of recipes online w/ lots of variations, & there are decent substitutions for the more exotic ingredients. e.g. dried thyme is a quite decent substitute for ajwain, a common chaat masala ingredient. Instead of tamarind powder you could use some lime juice and brown sugar to get a similar sour/sweet flavor. Most dishes using chaat masala, are more like home-cooking than not, and invite improvisation.

There are millions of recipes on this site with every day ingredients. You shouldn’t begrudge the few that are more exotic. Some of us want to try the “more unusual” so just make do with easy substitutes.

Amazon? Google "Asian groceries near me"? If those don't work for you, perhaps one of the other 15,000 recipes on this site? Sifton's daily letter contains suggestions, not commands.

I added about 1/4 cubed firm tofu for added protein to create a more balanced vegetarian dinner

They quietly move on to one of the thousands of alternative recipes.

Unlike the other commentor, I am very glad Amazon exists! I live in a rural area with few options. Amazon, Penzey’s, Zabars are lifelines if you want to eat interesting food.

Chaat masala is slightly and spicy - the main ingredient being amchoor(dried mango) and sometimes black salt.As one who lives in rural PA, I improvise using lemon(or sumac at times) along with chili powder and little cumin/coriander powder. Not the same but works.

And what do (most of) the rest of us in the country do who have few other options than to rely on Safeway or some other national/regional supermarket where neither commercially prepared nor ingredients for mixing chaat masala are available?

Looking at this in the middle of everything shut down. I love all the suggestions for seasoning when you don't have access to what appears to be critical (chaat masala), including how to make your own or an approximation of it. That is the value, for me, of the comments, which I always read before trying a recipe.

Oops! I put the almonds in the sauce because it looked like they were included in the sauce ingredients. It's delicious anyway, just not quite as smooth. To the editor: it might be worth having a separate "sauce" and "serving" section of the recipe to avoid this problem!

Do as I do. Rely on small sizes of Penzeys Spices ordered online.Their newest = Pico Fruta might be a worthy substitute.

Great recipe. I made it as a side to tilapia. Cut back on the jalapeño as some of the reviewers said it was really spicy; increased the lemon juice. Didn't have white onion, so used a shallot. I made extra sauce, as we used it on the fish as well. Instead of water, I used vegetable broth. I microwaved the cauliflower florets briefly so I could control the time to sync with the cooking of the fish. When my husband says: "Really tasty" I know it's good.

I made this the other night, upsized it to feed four as a side dish, and it was delicious. By luck I happened to buy a small box of chaat masala at an Indian grocer a few weeks back. It was very inexpensive and I expect to get at least a dozen recipes out of it.

I enjoyed this. I might try it with the cauliflower sauteed a little lower and slower for a uniform golden brown - I found this heat left it near blackened and still crunchy, which was probably the goal. Just an alternative. I'll make it again.

The sauce makes this- I think next time I'd actually roast the cauliflower to caramelize it and cook it more fully, then mix the chaat, jalapeño, ginger, etc into it towards the end. While I cooked the cauliflower for awhile in the pan over medium high, it still felt a little tough. Sauce is great, though. Would be great on roasted potatoes too.

Doubled the recipe, doubled the spices, added a can of chickpeas. Made a quick trip to the Indian market for chaat masala… so glad I did. I have been thinking about this dish ever since… making it again this week. So good,

Chaat masala makes this pop.

We loved this, super flavorful!

First, I get the joke, I can give myself flowers, maky my own cauliflower....... my favorite thing is a whole cauliflower broken into flowerettes, coated in EVOO, heavily coated in pepper and garlic powder( no salt!! nothing needs salt!)(shaken in a plastic bag) , and roasted at 450 til very brown!! or you could soak in Wing Sauce, but very salty...

Less onion in sauce

Doubled the ginger and jalapeño and added curry leaves. So amazingly good! I now know the magic of chaat masala!

Lovely dish! Kids devoured it and cauliflower isn’t usually their favorite. For the sauce, definitely sauté the onions and garlic before blending them, otherwise the cilantro sauce is very pungent (taste and smell).

This was delicious and a satisfying main dish. I served over some leftover couscous that included golden raisins and chopped pistachios. Yum!

You need to make more sauce or it won't work in the blender or food processor -- the ingredients stick to the sides.

I wish there was an easier way to make this small amount of sauce. Too little for the blender or food processor. I ended up adding water so everything didn’t stick on the side of the machine. Otherwise a tasty dish.

The sauce in this recipe is amazing. I use it on everything.

I've been using chaat masala for years--its great on cucumbers, tomatoes, and/or corn on the cob, too. It is available in most larger grocery stores in St. Louis, and at the two larger pan-Asian stores, as well as the Indian/Pakistani stores. However, if you live in a smaller place, it can easily be ordered from Penzey's Spices. My favorite brands are Shan, MBD, and Amkur. Do check the expiration date. It doesn't go bad, but it gets "flat".

This was very overwhelming and sent the cauliflower into oblivion :( While the cilantro sauce is awesome, the chaat masala really overpowered everything...Not sure if it was my fault because I made the blend from scratch and it was more 'potent' than store-bought versions?I won't be making this again, unless I need to use up a vegetable which flavor I want to hide lol