Roasted Cauliflower Tikka Masala with Vegetable Pakoras
By M&S Food
Published on 11 August 2025
Chef Michael Caines’ Roasted Cauliflower Tikka Masala with Vegetable Pakora recipe from M&S’s Cooking with the Stars series is set to become a firm favourite. Roasted cauliflower is gently cooked in rich tikka masala sauce, served with fluffy basmati rice and a cooling raita. Golden, crisp and crunchy veggie pakoras are made in the air fryer for a deliciously satisfying curry night at home.Time and servings
1 hr 30 minsTotal time
2Servings
30 minsPrep time
1 hrCooking time
Ingredients
- 1 large cauliflower, cut to bite-size pieces
- 1 mini cucumber, grated
- 100g M&S Greek yoghurt
- 3 mint sprigs, finely chopped
- 1 tsp ground cumin
- 25g coriander (10g roughly chopped, 15g finely chopped)
- 120g gram flour
- 2 tbsp Made Without plain flour
- ¼ tsp M&S Made Without baking powder
- 1 tsp cumin seeds
- 1 tsp fine salt
- 2 tsp garam masala
- 1 tsp roasted curry powder
- 1 red onion, thinly sliced
- 1 potato, coarsely grated
- 20g spinach, roughly chopped
- 2 tbsp spray oil
- 500g jar M&S Tikka Masala Curry Sauce
- 250g pouch microwave basmati rice
Method
Step 1
Heat the oven to 200°C/ 180°C fan/ gas 6. Spread the cauliflower over a lined baking tray and roast for 25 mins, until golden.Step 2
Whilst the cauliflower roasts, make the raita. Put the grated cucumber into a clean tea towel. Squeeze out as much of the water as possible and then add to a serving dish with the yoghurt, most of the mint and ground cumin. Mix well and season to taste with salt and pepper. Sprinkle with the remaining mint and set aside until ready to serve.Step 3
Meanwhile, make the pakoras. Mix the gram flour, plain flour, baking powder, cumin seeds, salt, garam masala, roasted curry powder and water in a large mixing bowl (you’ll need about 80ml of water in total).Step 4
Add the onion, potato, spinach and 10g chopped coriander and mix with clean hands or a spoon. If you feel the batter is too dry, add 1 tbsp water at a time to the batter and mix until the batter coats the vegetables.Step 5
Set the air fryer to 200° and preheat for 2 mins. Once hot, spray the air fryer basket with a little oil and carefully add tbsp size balls of pakora mix. Spray with more oil and cook for 8-10 mins, until golden and crisp. Remove to a paper towel and repeat until all the mixture is used up. If you don’t have an air fryer, gently heat 5cm oil in a large, tall-sided pan. Test to see if the oil is hot enough by adding a small portion of the pakora batter; they should sizzle and come up immediately. Cook in batches, using a tbsp to carefully drop them into the hot oil. Cook for 4 mins, until golden and drain onto paper towels.Step 6
Meanwhile, pour the tikka masala sauce into a pan and set over a medium-high heat. Tip in the roasted cauliflower, bring to a simmer and cook for 10 mins until thickened and slightly reduced.Step 7
Cook the rice to packet instructions.Step 8
Serve the tikka masala with rice, pakoras, raita and sprinkled with the remaining coriander.