Recipes

Cauliflower Pakora

Make this delicious veggie dish from Vancouver's newest plant-based restaurant

By Janine Verreault /

Make this delicious veggie dish from Vancouver’s newest plant-based restaurant

Cauliflower, in all its beautiful permutations, is definitely having an extended moment. One of the most popular dishes at Nightshade, Vancouver’s newest plant-based restaurant, is the cauliflower pakora.

The new Yaletown restaurant explores the boundaries of vegan cuisine, focusing on farm-to-table ingredients with a global twist. Drawing on the popular South Asian fried snack, chef Chanthy Yen has created a delicious cauliflower side dish that’s easy enough to make at home—and it’s also gluten-free.

CAULIFLOWER INGREDIENTS 

  • 1 cauliflower head, cut into florets and include the stem
  • 1 red onion, sliced
  • 1 bell pepper, sliced
  • 1/4 cup rice vinegar
  • 2 tbsp sugar
  • 1 tbsp salt
  • 1 tsp garam masala
  • 1 tsp turmeric powder
  • 1 tsp cumin seed, whole
  • Fried or baked chickpeas, for garnish

BATTER INGREDIENTS

  • 2 cups chana flour
  • 1 tbsp paprika
  • 1 tbsp garam masala
  • 1 tbsp cumin seed, whole
  • Water, as needed

INSTRUCTIONS 

  1. Place all the cauliflower ingredients in a large bowl. Massage until the vegetables are well-coated. Set aside for 10 minutes so that the vegetables become soft and release liquid.
  2. Mix the batter ingredients, adding water gradually until a thick paste is formed.
  3. Preheat your oil to approximately 350 to 375 degrees.
  4. Coat the vegetable pieces with the batter.
  5. Fry pieces until they’re light golden brown (about 3 minutes).
  6. Serve with chutney or yogurt, and top with fried or baked chickpeas, if desired.

Serves 4