Learn how to make restaurant style Malai Broccoli recipe with detailed step by step pictures. Malai Broccoli video recipe, a quick delicious starter recipe that is sure to win hearts.
Malai Broccoli is a delicious starter and an appetizer recipe that is very easy & quick to make at home. It is coated with a marinade of fresh cream, yogurt and cheese making it one of the most delicious munches.
Unlike other starter or appetizer recipes that are usually deep-fried, malai broccoli can be made in an oven or an air fryer. Once the mixing is complete, all it takes is to bake & grill and it taken less than 20 minutes to plate this perfect starter.
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For vegetarians, paneer is the default option when ordering appetizers or starters when dining out. Honestly, it is getting a little repetitive and I have been on the lookout for non-paneer dishes to try out. I had tasted this malai broccoli at one such restaurant and totally fell in love with it. This is my adaptation of what I tasted, tweaking the recipe to suit our taste buds. Be sure to check out the variations & substitutions for other versions. I served it with pickled sliced onions and spicy green chutney – it was bomb!
Ingredients
I used one large head of Broccoli, that is tender and fresh. Separate the florets and keep them medium-sized as much as possible, so that there is enough crunch and even coating of the marinade.
Malai Marinade is a made with a mixture of Fresh Cream, Grated Cheese, and Thick Yogurt/Curd. It gives the broccoli a rich creamy taste and cheese coats the broccoli well during grilling.
Minced Garlic and Black Pepper Powder are used to flavor the broccoli. Minimal spices keep malai broccoli yummy and tasty, without overpowering.
For full list of ingredients and exact measurements, check the recipe below.
Step by Step Instructions
In a large bowl heat enough water with salt added. As the water comes to a rolling boil, add the broccoli florets. Cook for 4-5 mins on medium flame. Remove the florets from water and immediately add them to cold water. This process is calling blanching.
Drain water completely and cool down the florets to room temperature.
In a mixing bowl add the blanched broccoli florets, 3 tablespoon thick yogurt/curd, 2 tablespoon fresh cream and 2 tablespoon grated cheese along with 1 tablespoon minced garlic, ½ teaspoon black pepper powder and salt as needed.
Mix well until the broccoli florets are coated well with the marinade. Keep covered and rest them marinate for 30-60 minutes.
Meanwhile, line a baking tray with parchment paper/baking sheet and pre-heat the oven at 200°C. Place the marinated florets in a line, on the baking tray without overcrowding.
Drizzle leftover marinade all over the top of the florets.
Bake at 200°C for 10-12 minutes and grill for 5 minutes until the florets are golden brown on top.
Remove onto serving plate and serving hot with sliced pickled onions & lemon wedge, spicy green chutney on the side.
Recipe Notes
- Separate the broccoli florets to be medium-sized, that way there will be enough crunch when baked & grilled.
- Do not overcook the broccoli florets and keep them in boiling water for no more than 5 minutes. Soggy florets make marinating & grilling difficult and ruin the overall taste of this recipe.
Top Tip
Blanching broccoli florets in boiling water with salt for 4-5 mins and immediately transferring the florets to cold water stops the cooking process while retaining the beautiful green color. It also helps remove any worms in the florets. This is a must before further cooking broccoli or cauliflower and never to be missed.
Malai Broccoli is exclusively flavored with minced garlic and pepper powder, to retain the creamy color of the marinade. Do not skip garlic as it’s a flavor bomb for this recipe.
Grated cheese adds to the richness of the marinade and coats the broccoli florets well. To get the golden tops on the florets, sprinkle extra cheese on top and grill for 5 minutes in the oven.
Broccoli florets absorb the flavors of the garlic and creamy marinate with time. So make sure to marinate for at least 30 minutes. The longer the marination period, the better the flavor of the grilled broccoli.
Substitutions & Variations
This recipe can also be made in an Air Fryer. To make Air Fryer Malai Broccoli, preheat the air fryer at 200° C for 10-15 mins. Place a parchment in the air fryer tray and arrange the florets in a such a way that they are not touching one another. Air Fry for 8-10 mins until broccoli is golden brown.
In addition to the black pepper powder, finely chopped green chillies can also be added to the marinade for a spicy version.
Replace yogurt for low fat Greek yogurt and fresh cream for low fat version, avoiding cheese altogether to make Low Calorie Malai Broccoli recipe.
Storage & Serving Suggestions
Malai Broccoli is best served hot, straight from the oven or air fryer with sliced pickled onions (marinated in lemon juice & a pinch of salt) and lemon wedge on the side. Spicy green chutney goes well with this starter but creamy green chutney tastes good too. Marinated broccoli florets can be left in the fridge in an airtight container for upto 6 hours or so before being grilled. The cooking time may vary slightly when the florets are cold, so keep baking & grilling until the florets are golden brown.
Video Recipe
I would be delighted to know if you have tried this recipe, don’t forget to provide your rating for this recipe and do share your comments below. If you have any questions, you can always e-mail me! I am also available on Facebook, Pinterest, Instagram and Twitter 🙂
📖 Recipe
Malai Broccoli
Equipment
- Oven (OTG)
- Mixing Bowl
- Baking Tray
MEASUREMENT
1 cup = 250ml, 1 tablespoon = 15ml, 1 teaspoon = 5ml
Ingredients
- 15 Broccoli Florets Blanched
- 3 tablespoon Thick Curd
- 2 tablespoon Fresh Cream
- 2 tablespoon Grated Cheese
- 1 tablespoon Minced Garlic
- ½ teaspoon Black Pepper Powder
- Salt as needed
Instructions
- In a large bowl heat enough water with salt added. As the water comes to a rolling boil, add the broccoli florets. Cook for 4-5 mins on medium flame. Remove the florets from water and immediately add them to cold water. Drain water completely and cool down the florets to room temperature. This process is calling blanching.
- In a mixing bowl add the blanched broccoli florets, 3 tablespoon thick yogurt/curd, 2 tablespoon fresh cream and 2 tablespoon grated cheese along with 1 tablespoon minced garlic, ½ teaspoon black pepper powder and salt as needed.
- Mix well until the broccoli florets are coated well with the marinade. Keep covered and rest them marinate for 30-60 minutes.
- Meanwhile, line a baking tray with parchment paper/baking sheet and pre-heat the oven at 200°C. Place the marinated florets in a line, on the baking tray without overcrowding.
- Bake at 200°C for 10-12 minutes and grill for 5 minutes until the florets are golden brown on top.
- Remove onto serving plate and serving hot with sliced pickled onions & lemon wedge, spicy green chutney on the side.
Video
Notes
- Separate the broccoli florets to be medium-sized, that way there will be enough crunch when baked & grilled.
- Do not overcook the broccoli florets and keep them in boiling water for no more than 5 minutes. Soggy florets make marinating & grilling difficult and ruin the overall taste of this recipe.
Hannah
Looks delicious!
Ramya
Thanks much 🙂