Here's to an evening snack that needs no deep frying, plain flour, or excess oil!
Cauliflower 65 air fryer recipe is the all-new healthier version of the classic fried cauliflower snack or the restaurant-style gobi appetizer.
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Gobi 65 is made with fresh cauliflower pieces and spices and can be cooked in an air fryer or traditional oven.
It's low in calories, high in fiber, and as spicy as you like it to be.
What's not to love in this delicious and healthy vegetarian starter?
It's sure to please you even if you are not a vegan (yet)!
Like all recipes, the air fryer Cauliflower 65 recipe is 100% vegan.
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About this recipe
All my family members are big fans of cauliflower.
So I often make cauliflower recipes like cauliflower sabji, buffalo cauliflower, air fryer tandoori gobi, and cauliflower curry recipes.
It's one of the few vegetables that are good for appetizers, curry, or even stir-fry.
Cauliflower 65 is a widely popular cauliflower appetizer featured in many Indian restaurants.
It is a fried cauliflower recipe that has different spice levels.
It's one of the easiest air fryer recipes you can find for cauliflower that can rival any restaurant entree.
You can make this air fryer gobi 65 as spicy or mild as you want it to be.
An air fryer is a healthier option for frying cauliflower in oil.
You can also bake the gobi 65 recipe in an oven, but I prefer using an air fryer as it uses less oil, and the cauliflower comes out crispier.
If you are looking for more cauliflower recipes, check out Chili gobi and Gobi paratha recipes.
Main Ingredients
- Cauliflower: Use fresh cauliflowers for this recipe. Do not use frozen cauliflower as it will make the gobi 65 soggy.
- Spices: I like combining Kashmiri red chili powder, turmeric powder, black pepper powder, garlic powder, and garam masala powder to prepare the seasoning mix. You can adjust the spice level to your taste.
- Onion: This recipe will need one medium-sized red or yellow onion. You can also use shallots instead of onions.
- Ginger-Garlic: I used fresh chopped ginger and garlic.
- Green chilies: This is optional, but the options are wide open. Serraño, jalapeño, or Thai chilies are all good fits for this recipe.
- Lemon juice: I like to add fresh lemon juice at the end of cooking gobi 65. You can also use lime juice.
- Rice flour: Add this for a crispy texture.
- Besan flour: This is also known as chickpea flour or gram flour.
See the recipe card for quantities.
Instructions
Cut the cauliflower into small bite-sized florets. Blanch it in hot water for two minutes. Drain the water and set the cauliflower aside. Pat them with a paper or kitchen towel to remove excess moisture.
Add the cauliflower florets, olive oil, and spices to a mixing bowl. And coat them well by giving them a good toss.
After 10 minutes, add rice flour and besan flour and coat them well.
Preheat the air fryer to 400 F for 3 -4 minutes. Then transfer the coated cauliflower florets from the large bowl to the air fryer basket in a single layer.
And cook them for 14 minutes until they are crispy and golden brown in color.
In between, shake them. If required, spray some oil.
Once they are done, remove them from the air fryer and set them aside on a baking tray.
Do repeat this for the second batch as well.
In a pan, heat some oil and add mustard seeds. Let them splutter for a few seconds.
Then add chopped ginger, garlic, green chilies, onions, and fry until they are light brown.
Add ½ teaspoon of Kashmiri red chili powder, salt, and 1-2 tablespoon of water and mix well.
Toss the air-fried cauliflower into the pan once the water starts bubbling.
Add lemon juice and chopped cilantro and mix well.
Serving suggestions
This Air fryer cauliflower 65 is not only vegan but also gluten-free. You can serve this as an appetizer or a side dish with your main meal.
It goes well with plain rice, jeera rice, biryani, and even plain roti or quinoa chapati.
And I like to serve it with mint chutney or sweet chili sauce.
Variations
- Spices -Coriander powder is another spice you could add, but that's optional.
- Flour - You can use all-purpose flour or corn flour instead of rice flour.
- Kid-friendly - Add fewer green chilies or omit this for kids
Equipment
I use the Cosori air fryer for all my air fryer recipes. I have been using it for 6 months. I am in love with this Air fryer. So easy to make and clean.
Recipe FAQ
Gobi 65 is a cauliflower dish that originates from India. It is a spicy, deep-fried appetizer often served as a starter in Indian restaurants.
The name gobi 65 came from the fact that it is a vegetarian version of chicken 65. "The Gobi" means cauliflower in Hindi, and "65" stands for the year it was created, which is 1965.
Yes, you can bake it at 425 degrees Fahrenheit for 20-25 minutes.
Expert Tips
Always do a taste test on the fried cauliflower and make any necessary adjustments to the seasoning.
The gobi 65 will taste best when it is served hot. If you want to make this recipe ahead of time, then fry the cauliflower and temper it.
You can also replace the ginger and garlic powders with a tsp of ginger garlic paste.
To make it crispy gobi, add one tablespoon of corn flour.
I used olive oil while marinating the cauliflower. You can use any oil like vegetable oil, corn oil, etc.
Instead of water, you can use tomato ketchup or yogurt to make the gobi 65 sauce.
While sautéing the chili peppers, add curry leaves if available; I skipped it since there weren't any in stock.
For the spicy version, add red chili powder as you saute the cauliflower.
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📖 Recipe
Cauliflower 65 Air fryer
Process Shot
Check above for step-by-step pictures (most of my recipes include pictures)
Ingredients
- 5 cups cauliflower - or 1 head of cauliflower
- ½ teaspoon Kashmiri red chili powder
- 1½ tablespoon besan flour
- 2 tbsp rice flour
- ¼ teaspoon turmeric powder
- ¼ teaspoon garlic powder or 1 garlic cloves chopped
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper powder
- ½ teaspoon Garam Masala Powder
- 2 tablespoon olive oil
- salt to tatse
Tempering
- ¾ cup chopped onions
- 2 garlic cloves chopped
- 2 green chilies - sliced
- ½ teaspoon Kashmiri red chili powder - optional
- ½ teaspoon mustard seeds
- 1 teaspoon grated ginger
- 1 tablespoon water
- 2 tablespoon lemon juice
- 1 teaspoon chopped cilantro
Instructions
- Cut the cauliflower into small bite-sized florets. Blanch it in hot water for two minutes. Drain the water and set the cauliflower aside. Pat them with a paper or kitchen towel to remove excess moisture.5 cups cauliflower
- Add the cauliflower florets, olive oil, and spices to a mixing bowl. And coat them well by giving them a good toss.½ teaspoon Kashmiri red chili powder, ¼ teaspoon turmeric powder, ¼ teaspoon garlic powder or 1 garlic cloves chopped, ¼ teaspoon black pepper powder, ½ teaspoon Garam Masala Powder, 2 tablespoon olive oil, salt to tatse
- After 10 minutes, add rice flour and besan flour and coat them well.1½ tablespoon besan flour, 2 tablespoon rice flour
- Preheat the air fryer to 400 F for 3 -4 minutes. Then transfer the coated cauliflower florets from the large bowl to the air fryer basket in a single layer. And cook them for 14 minutes until they are crispy and golden brown in color.
- In between, shake them. If required, spray some oil.
- Once they are done, remove them from the air fryer and set them aside on a baking tray.
- Do repeat this for the second batch as well.
- In a pan, heat two teaspoons of oil and add mustard seeds. Let them splutter for a few seconds.½ teaspoon mustard seeds
- Then add chopped ginger, garlic, green chilies, onions, and fry until they are light brown.¾ cup chopped onions, 1 teaspoon grated ginger, 2 garlic cloves chopped, 2 green chilies
- Add ½ teaspoon of Kashmiri red chili powder, a pinch of salt, and 1-2 tablespoon of water and mix well.1 tablespoon water, ½ teaspoon Kashmiri red chili powder
- Toss the air-fried cauliflower into the pan once the water starts bubbling.
- Add lemon juice and chopped cilantro and mix well.2 tablespoon lemon juice, 1 teaspoon chopped cilantro
Notes
- Always do a taste test on the fried cauliflower and make any necessary adjustments to the seasoning.
- The gobi 65 will taste best when it is served hot. If you want to make this recipe ahead of time, then fry the cauliflower and temper it.
- You can also replace the ginger and garlic powders with a teaspoon of ginger garlic paste.
- To make it crispy gobi, add one tablespoon of corn flour.
- I used olive oil while marinating the cauliflower. You can use any oil like vegetable oil, corn oil, etc.
- Instead of water, you can use tomato ketchup or yogurt to make the gobi 65 sauce.
- While sautéing the chili peppers, add curry leaves if available; I skipped it since there weren't any in stock.
- For the spicy version, add red chilli powder as you saute the cauliflower.
YOUR OWN NOTES
Nutrition
Nutritional information is an estimation only.
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