Gobi 65 Recipe | Fried Cauliflower Snack

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Spicy and crispy Gobi 65 recipe is a fried cauliflower appetizer or snack that everyone will love! It’s vegan, and simple to make with my step-by-step photos and recipe. Crunchy and savory Cauliflower 65 is perfect to serve with tomato ketchup, red chili sauce, chutneys, or your favorite condiment to dip.

gobi 65 filled on a white plate placed on beige napkin on a cream colored bamboo board

Why is it called Gobi 65?

Recipes that fall under the “65” category are very popular in Southern India. The first version is Chicken 65, and is believed to have originated at the Hotel Buhari in 1965.

But over the years many other ideas for how the name was created have emerged, like the story that the name comes from 65 chillies used or that each batch included 65 pieces of chicken.

Just as there are different versions of where 65 came from, there are now several variations of the classic recipe.

This Gobi 65 recipe is a popular vegetarian/vegan variation made with Cauliflower a.k.a Gobi. I have shared a few vegetarian and vegan options that are very tasty, too:

About This Fried Cauliflower 65 Snack

Fried snacks with a kick of heat are fantastic to enjoy at the beginning of a meal, between meals, or really anytime! And this gobi 65 recipe is one of my favorite spicy dishes that I could eat throughout the day.

Although they do require a bit of prep work, these delightfully crispy and flavorful fried cauliflower florets are definitely worth the effort.

This rustic fried cauliflower recipe isn’t highly spicy as some other 65 dishes, so the garlic and ginger really come through for great depth of flavor.

Here the florets are marinated in a spicy marinade, prior to frying. This makes the florets absorb the spicy flavors, while keeping them terrifically light and crispy, and lets the spices shine.

Step-by-Step Guide

How to make Gobi 65 Recipe

Prep Cauliflower

1. First, chop one large cauliflower head into medium-sized florets. You want about 1.5 cups of chopped cauliflower, and smallish pieces tend to fry the best. Rinse the florets very well, dry, and place in a bowl.

chopped cauliflower florets in a glass bowl

2. Now add enough hot water so that the florets are covered. Cover and blanch the cauliflower florets for 15 to 20 minutes. After 15 to 20 minutes drain all the water and set the blanched cauliflower aside.

Note: Blanching cauliflower is an optional step to get rid of any insects or worms in the cauliflower.

cauliflower florets blanching in water in glass bowl to make gobi 65 recipe

Make Chili Garlic Paste

3. Meanwhile, in a small bowl, add ¼ cup of warm or hot water. And 4 dry red chilies (or Kashmiri red chillies), and soak for 15 minutes.

Break or halve the red chillies and remove their seeds prior to soaking.

red chillies soaking in water in white bowl

4. In a small grinder jar or chutney grinder, add 1.5 teaspoons of chopped garlic and 1.5 teaspoons of roughly chopped ginger.

chopped ginger and garlic in a blender

5. Then add the soaked red chilies to the grinder.

soaked red chillies in blender

6. Add 1 to 2 tablespoons of water or as needed, and grind to a smooth paste. Set aside.

red chilli paste in blender for cauliflower 65

Marinate Cauliflower

7. After the cauliflower has blanched for 15 to 20 minutes, drain the florets well and put them in a mixing bowl or deep pan.

blanched cauliflower in a black bowl

8. Add the red chili paste.

red chilli paste on top cauliflower florets in black bowl

9. Gently mix very well.

red chilli paste mixed with cauliflower florets

10. Then add 6 tablespoons of besan (gram flour or chickpea flour), 4 tablespoons of rice flour and 2 tablespoons of corn starch.

You can add fine corn meal or maize flour (makki ka atta) instead of corn starch for even more crunch, if you like.

flours added on cauliflower florets

11. Now add ¼ teaspoon of turmeric powder, ½ teaspoon of red chili powder, ½ teaspoon of garam masala powder and ½ teaspoon of coriander powder.

ground spices on the flours

12. Add ½ to 1 teaspoon of lemon juice to brighten and bring the spices together for the gobi 65 marinade.

If you do not have lemon juice, swap with ½ to 1 teaspoon of white distilled vinegar, red wine vinegar or apple cider vinegar.

lemon juice being added with a measuring spoon

13. Add ⅓ cup of water.

water added to the gobi 65 mixture in the black bowl

14. Sprinkle in salt.

salt sprinkled on cauliflower 65 mixture in black bowl

15. Use a spatula or spoon to mix together very well. The batter should coat the cauliflower pieces well. Ensure that the batter is not thin or runny or dry or doughy. The cauliflower florets should hold the batter.

TIP 1: If the mixture looks dry, doughy, sprinkle a few tablespoons of water and mix.

TIP 2: If the batter drips from the florets or is runny or thin, add a few tablespoons of gram flour or chickpea flour.

batter coated marinated cauliflower florets to make gobi 65

16. Cover the pan and allow the cauliflower to marinate for 20 to 30 minutes at room temperature.

marinated gobi after 30 minutes

Fry Cauliflower

17. Now it is time to lightly fry the marinated and battered cauliflower florets. Heat 7 to 8 tablespoons of preferred frying oil in a kadai or deep skillet. You can add more oil if you prefer.

When the oil becomes medium hot, about 350 degrees to 356 degrees Fahrenheit (175 to 180 degrees Celsius), use a spoon to carefully place the cauliflower florets in the hot oil. You don’t want to overcrowd the pan, so you’ll likely need to work in batches.

marinated gobi being fried in hot oil

18. Fry on one side for a few minutes, until golden brown and crisp. Gently turn the pieces over with a slotted spoon, and continue to fry on the other side.

gobi frying in hot oil

19. Turn the florets back and forth until evenly fried on all sides.

crispy cauliflower in hot oil

20. Remove the fried cauliflower florets with a slotted spoon, and place them on kitchen paper towels to absorb the excess oil. Fry the remaining gobi 65 in batches.

The tempering step is optional and you could stop once the cauliflower pieces are fried. Serve these cruncy, crispy cauliflower with any dip or your choice or eat them as is.

But if you prefer some more flavors and spices in your gobi 65, then proceed onto the tempering step below.

fried cauliflower on kitchen paper towels

Tempering

21. Tempering the fried cauliflower with a seasoned hot oil infuses the gobi with spice and wonderful aromatics. To create the base of the tempering mixture, remove all but 2 teaspoons of oil from the skillet. Or opt to use 2 teaspoons of fresh oil.

Turn on medium heat, add ½ teaspoon of mustard seeds and allow them to crackle. Then add 2 to 3 dry red chilies (halved and seeds removed). Fry until the dry red chilies change color to a darker reddish shade.

mustard seeds sizzling in hot oil with dry red chillies

22. Next add ¼ cup of chopped onions (or spring onion whites), 1 teaspoon of finely chopped garlic, 1 teaspoon of finely chopped ginger and 5 to 6 fresh curry leaves.

Note that you can skip adding onions if you prefer.

onions, garlic, ginger, red chillies, green chillies, curry leaves in oil

23. Stir and saute until the onions turn translucent.

tempering mixture with onions being sautéed in oil

24. Then add salt to taste. To cut the spiciness a bit you can also add a pinch or two of sugar. Mix well.

salt in the tempering mixture

25. Add the fried cauliflower florets to the pan, and immediately turn off the stovetop heat.

fried cauliflower added to tempering mixture in pan

26. Toss and stir to coat the cauliflower with the mixture.

fried cauliflower mixed with tempering mixture

27. Now add 1 tablespoon of fresh chopped coriander (cilantro) leaves.

chopped coriander leaves on gobi 65 in pan

Serving Suggestions

Serve cauliflower 65 hot or warm with sauces, chutneys, and your favorite side dishes. Drizzle some lemon juice while eating. Enjoy!

Coconut ChutneyCoriander Chutney or Mint Chutney or even Tomato Ketchup pair well with gobi 65. You can also serve some Roti or Bread as a side.

gobi 65 filled on a white plate placed on beige napkin on a cream colored bamboo board

Tips + FAQs

How can I make less spicy cauliflower 65?

Cut back on the number of dried red chiles called for in this recipe, and instead only use 1 to 2 chilies for just a bit of heat.

How long does gobi 65 keep well?

Fried cauliflower does taste best when enjoyed right after being prepared. However, leftovers will keep well in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 1 to 2 days. I recommend that you reheat by baking in an oven or toaster for about 5 to 10 minutes at 350 degrees Fahrenheit (175 degrees celsius).

Can gobi 65 recipe be baked?

This genre of 65 recipes gives best taste, texture and flavor when they are fried and not baked. For health reasons, you can experiment with baking, but make sure that the cauliflower pieces are not half cooked.

More Indian Cauliflower Starters!

Please be sure to rate the recipe in the recipe card or leave a comment below if you have made it. For more vegetarian inspirations, Sign Up for my emails or follow me on Instagram, Youtube, Facebook, Pinterest or Twitter.

closeup shot of gobi 65 filled on a white plate placed on beige napkin

Gobi 65 Recipe (Fried Cauliflower Snack)

Spicy, crispy, vegan Gobi 65 is a fried cauliflower appetizer or snack that everyone will love. Crunchy and savory cauliflower 65 is perfect to serve with tomato ketchup, red chili sauce, chutneys, or your favorite condiment to dip.
4.93 from 40 votes
Prep Time 30 minutes
Cook Time 20 minutes
Marinating Time 20 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 10 minutes
Cuisine Hyderabadi, South Indian
Course Snacks
Diet Vegan
Difficulty Level Moderate
Servings 3
Units

Ingredients

For Blanching

  • 350 grams cauliflower (gobi) or 3 cups small to medium cauliflower florets
  • hot water as required – for covering gobi florets

For Red Paste

  • 4 dry red chilies or Kashmiri red chillies with seeds removed – soaked in ¼ cup hot water
  • 1.5 teaspoons chopped garlic or 5 to 6 medium-sized cloves
  • 1.5 teaspoons chopped ginger or 1 to 1.5 inches ginger
  • 1 to 2 tablespoons water or as required – for blending

Other Ingredients

  • 6 tablespoons gram flour (besan) – sub with chickpea flour instead
  • 4 tablespoons Rice Flour
  • 2 tablespoons corn starch
  • ¼ teaspoon turmeric powder (ground turmeric)
  • ½ teaspoon red chilli powder or cayenne pepper
  • ½ teaspoon Garam Masala
  • ½ teaspoon Coriander Powder (ground coriander)
  • ½ to 1 teaspoon lemon juice or white vinegar or apple cider vinegar
  • cup water or as needed
  • salt as required
  • 7 to 8 tablespoons oil or as needed

For Tempering

  • 2 teaspoons oil or 2 tsp of the fried leftover oil
  • ½ teaspoon mustard seeds
  • ¼ cup finely chopped onions or spring onion whites or 1 small onion
  • 1 teaspoon finely chopped garlic or 3 to 4 medium garlic cloves
  • 1 teaspoon finely chopped ginger or 1 inch ginger
  • 3 to 4 green chilies – slit
  • 2 to 3 dry red chilies – broken and seeds removed
  • 5 to 6 curry leaves
  • 1 tablespoon chopped coriander leaves (cilantro)
  • 1 to 2 pinches salt or add as per taste
  • 1 to 2 pinches sugar or add as per taste (optional)

Instructions
 

Preparation

  • Chop the cauliflower in small pieces. Rinse them very well and keep in a bowl.
  • Now add enough hot water so that all the florets are covered. Cover and blanch the florets for 15 to 20 minutes.
  • In a small bowl, add ¼ cup warm or hot water and soak 4 dry red chilies in it for 15 minutes.
  • In a small grinder jar or chutney grinder, add 1.5 tsp chopped garlic and 1.5 tsp roughly chopped ginger.
  • Add the soaked red chilies.
  • Add 1 to 2 tablespoon water or as needed and grind to a smooth paste. Set aside.

Making Marination

  • Drain the cauliflower florets of all the water very well and take them in a mixing bowl or pan.
  • Add the red paste. Mix very well.
  • Then add gram flour, rice flour and corn starch.
  • Add turmeric powder, red chilli powder, garam masala powder and coriander powder.
  • Also add ½ to 1 tsp lemon juice and ⅓ cup water.
  • Next add salt. Combine and mix everything very well. The batter should coat the cauliflower pieces and must not be runny or thin.
  • If the mixture looks dry, doughy, sprinkle a few tablespoons of water and mix. If the batter drips from the florets or is runny or thin, add a few tablespoons of gram flour or chickpea flour.
  • Cover and allow to marinate for 20 to 30 minutes.

Frying Marinated Cauliflower

  • Heat oil in a kadai (wok) or a frying pan. When the oil becomes medium hot, use a spoon to carefully place the cauliflower florets in the hot oil. Ensure that you do not overcrowd the pan, so you will have fry in batches.
  • The oil should be medium hot at about 350 to 356 degrees Fahrenheit (175 to 180 degrees Celsius).
  • Fry one side and when it becomes crisp, turn over with a slotted spoon and fry the other side.
  • Fry them evenly, until they are golden and crisp turning them as needed. Fry them in batches.
  • With a slotted spoon, remove the fried cauliflower florets and place them on kitchen paper towels to absorb extra oil. Work in batches this way.

Making Tempering

  • Now remove the extra oil from the kadai and keep 2 teaspoon oil in it or add fresh 2 teaspoon oil in another pan. Add ½ teaspoon mustard seeds and crackle them. Then add 2 to 3 dry red chilies. Fry until the dry red chilies change color and become a darker shade of red.
  • Next add ¼ cup chopped onions, 1 teaspoon finely chopped garlic, 1 teaspoon finely chopped ginger and 5 to 6 curry leaves.
  • Stir and sauté until the onions turn translucent and are softened.
  • Then add one to pinches of salt or add as per taste. You can also add a pinch or two of sugar. Mix well.
  • Add the fried cauliflower florets. Switch off the heat.
  • Toss and stir the whole mixture. Add chopped coriander leaves.

Serving Suggestions

Storage

  • Gobi 65 tastes best when eaten right after being prepared. But you can keep any leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 1 to 2 days.
  • While serving later, reheat by baking in an oven for about 5 to 10 minutes at 175 degrees Celsius (350 degrees Fahrenheit).

Nutrition Info (Approximate Values)

Nutrition Facts
Gobi 65 Recipe (Fried Cauliflower Snack)
Amount Per Serving
Calories 331 Calories from Fat 162
% Daily Value*
Fat 18g28%
Saturated Fat 2g13%
Polyunsaturated Fat 1g
Monounsaturated Fat 1g
Cholesterol 1mg0%
Sodium 721mg31%
Potassium 590mg17%
Carbohydrates 37g12%
Fiber 7g29%
Sugar 7g8%
Protein 7g14%
Vitamin A 438IU9%
Vitamin B1 (Thiamine) 1mg67%
Vitamin B2 (Riboflavin) 1mg59%
Vitamin B3 (Niacin) 20mg100%
Vitamin B6 1mg50%
Vitamin C 101mg122%
Vitamin E 7mg47%
Vitamin K 21µg20%
Calcium 62mg6%
Vitamin B9 (Folate) 272µg68%
Iron 4mg22%
Magnesium 33mg8%
Phosphorus 94mg9%
Zinc 1mg7%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

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This gobi 65 recipe from the blog archives first published in December 2015 has been republished and updated on 27 May 2021.

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Meet Dassana

Welcome to Dassana's Veg Recipes. I share vegetarian recipes from India & around the World. Having been cooking for decades and with a professional background in cooking & baking, I help you to make your cooking journey easier with my tried and tested recipes showcased with step by step photos & plenty of tips & suggestions.

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73 Comments

  1. not a big fan of cauliflower, but with this recipe and Manchurian i always finish first !!!5 stars

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