Cauliflower and paneer torkari
Serves: 6 as a sharing dish
Prep time: 30 minsTotal time: 
Recipe photograph by Hannah Rose Hughes
Cauliflower and paneer torkari
Recipe by Rinku Dutt
Chef Rinku Dutt says: ‘I learned this dish on my last trip to Kolkata. It’s lightly spiced and the flavours of the ingredients come through beautifully.’
Serves: 6 as a sharing dish
Prep time: 30 minsTotal time: 
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Nutritional information (per serving)
Calories
223Kcal
Fat
14gr
Saturates
3gr
Carbs
9gr
Sugars
6gr
Fibre
3gr
Protein
14gr
Salt
1.3gr
Rinku Dutt
Chef and author Rinku Dutt is the co-founder of the Kolkata-inspired street food business Raastawala. She published her first cookbook, Kolkata: Recipes from the Heart of Bengal (Smith Street Books, £26), in 2022
See more of Rinku Dutt’s recipes
Rinku Dutt
Chef and author Rinku Dutt is the co-founder of the Kolkata-inspired street food business Raastawala. She published her first cookbook, Kolkata: Recipes from the Heart of Bengal (Smith Street Books, £26), in 2022
See more of Rinku Dutt’s recipes
Ingredients
- 2 tsp cumin seeds
- 1½ tsp ground turmeric
- ½ tsp fine sea sal
- 1 x 226g block paneer, cut into 1.5cm cubes
- 2 tbsp rapeseed oil
- 2 bay leaves
- 4 whole cloves
- 1 cinnamon stick
- 3 cardamom pods, lightly crushed
- 1 medium tomato, cored and diced
- 1 tbsp grated root ginger
- 50g cashew nuts, ground to a semi-fine powder
- 1 tsp white sugar
- 1 green chilli, split lengthwise
For the roasted cauliflower
- 1 large cauliflower, cut into medium florets
- 2 tsp cumin seeds
- 1½ tsp ground cumin
- 1 tsp flaky sea salt
- 1 tsp chilli flakes
- 1 tbsp rapeseed oil
Step by step
- Preheat the oven to 220°C, fan 200°C, gas 7, or an air fryer to 200°C. Combine all the ingredients for the roasted cauliflower and stir well, then spread out on a lined baking tray or in the air fryer basket. Roast for 12-15 minutes or until slightly browned but not wilted. Set aside.
- Dry fry the cumin seeds in a wok, karai or non-stick frying pan until fragrant. Grind finely using a pestle and mortar and set aside.
- In a bowl, rub ½ teaspoon turmeric and ¼ teaspoon of salt into the paneer. Heat 1 tablespoon of oil in the same pan you used to toast the cumin seeds, over a medium-high heat. Add the paneer cubes and brown gently on each side, taking care to ensure they don’t stick. Return to the bowl.
- Heat the remaining oil in the same pan with the bay leaves, cloves, cinnamon stick and cardamom pods. When aromatic, add the tomato, ginger, half of the ground cumin and 1 teaspoon of turmeric. Stir, then add 250ml water and bring to a simmer. Mix in the ground cashews, ¼ teaspoon of salt and the sugar.
- After 1 minute add the roasted cauliflower and the chilli and mix together, taking care not to break up the florets. Gently add the paneer cubes to the pan, too. Reduce the heat, cover the pan and simmer for 6-8 minutes or until the cauliflower is tender.
- To serve, sprinkle the rest of the toasted cumin over the torkari.
