This curry brings together tender chunks of chicken and cauliflower in a rich, warmly-spiced sauce. It’s become a regular in our house, especially on those damp evenings when you want something properly warming but don’t fancy spending ages at the cooker.
The base starts like many good curries – onions cooked down with garlic, ginger and chilli until soft and fragrant. The spices go in next, giving off that lovely aroma that fills the kitchen. I’ve kept the spice blend straightforward: turmeric, cumin and garam masala provide plenty of flavour without overwhelming the dish. A bit of oyster sauce might seem odd in a curry, but trust me – it adds a lovely savoury depth.
The sauce comes together with tinned tomatoes and Greek yoghurt, making it creamy but not heavy. While the chicken and cauliflower simmer away, they soak up all those flavours. The pak choi adds a nice bit of green and keeps its slight crunch if you pop it in near the end. A handful of toasted almonds and spring onions on top gives everything a nice bite and freshness.
What I particularly like about this curry is how the cauliflower works alongside the chicken rather than just being a side vegetable. It catches the sauce brilliantly in all its little florets and becomes properly tender without turning to mush.
You can have this ready in about 40 minutes, and most of that time the curry’s just bubbling away by itself. It’s grand with rice, but sometimes we have it with couscous if we’re in a hurry, or naan bread for mopping up the sauce. It reheats well too, though the pak choi is best added fresh if you’re making it ahead.
Creamy Cauliflower Chicken Curry
Ingredients
- 4 tbsp olive oil
- 2 chicken breasts, cut into bite-sized pieces
- 1 onion, finely chopped
- 2-3 garlic cloves, minced
- 1-inch ginger, grated
- 1 red chilli, deseeded and chopped
- 1 tsp turmeric
- 1 tsp ground cumin
- 1 tsp garam masala
- 1 tbsp oyster sauce
- 1 (14 oz) can chopped tomatoes
- 5 tbsp Greek yogurt
- 1 medium cauliflower, cut into small florets
- 2 pak choy, chopped and separated into leaves and stems
- 3 spring onions, chopped (for garnish)
- 1/4 cup flaked almonds, toasted (for garnish)
- Salt and pepper to taste
Directions
- Heat 2 tbsp olive oil in a large pan or wok over medium-high heat. Season chicken with salt and pepper, then cook until browned, about 4-5 minutes. Remove and set aside.
- In the same pan, add remaining 2 tbsp oil. Add onion, garlic, ginger, and chilli. Sauté for 2-3 minutes.
- Add turmeric, garam masala, and cumin. Cook until onions are soft and spices are fragrant, about 5-6 minutes. Add a splash of water if mixture starts to stick.
- Stir in oyster sauce until well combined.
- Pour in chopped tomatoes, then gradually add yogurt one tablespoon at a time, stirring continuously.
- Return chicken to pan, then add cauliflower florets and pak choy stems. Stir well.
- Cover and simmer for 10 minutes, or until cauliflower is tender and chicken is cooked through.
- Stir in pak choy leaves and cook for 1-2 minutes until wilted.
- Season to taste with salt and pepper.
- Garnish with toasted flaked almonds and chopped spring onions.
- Serve hot with steamed rice, couscous, or naan bread.
