Amazing Cauliflower Curry

I had a head of cauliflower. It sat in the vegetable drawer begging for a chance to shine. I felt guilty and almost boiled it as my mother always had after which she would pop it in the oven topped with grated cheddar cheese. Now don’t get me wrong, I still love munching on cheesy cauliflower but my Indian cookbooks were calling me. “Celebrate that head of cauliflower! Let it play a staring role in an amazing mixture of partner vegetables, sauce and spices.”

OK, it didn’t take much prodding as it was late Friday afternoon and my husband was out on his own adventure. I had thought of making a tasty crock pot curry recipe I have, but then decided to get more adventurous. Looking over numerous recipes involving cauliflower I decided to whip up a curry involving potatoes. Many recipes involved half a cauliflower and I had a whole one so my curry amount grew and I was prepared with freezer bags for freezing some of my creation. Finding I didn’t have the potatoes (I thought I did), I hopped onto the dock and borrowed one from one neighbor and two from another. Dock living is like the neighborhoods used to be growing up in the 1950’s.

I put in a CD, Songs That Won The War, creating the 1940’s ambiance I love, donned an apron and set off on another Indian food adventure to honor my head of cauliflower. One recipe I used as inspiration was called Phulkopir Dalna or Bengali Cauliflower Curry. I grabbed my tub of Indian spices, looking forward to seeing into what tastes the mixture of spices called for would blend. I had them all and set about organizing the ingredients for easy combining.

I’ve learned that when a list of spices looks daunting, to take the time to prepare and mix the spices ahead in small dishes for easy additions. You then start cooking with a buffet of ingredients and bowls of spices ready to go.

Since I had a large head of cauliflower. I decided to double the recipe as I do often now leaving plenty for sharing with friends and neighbors and freezing for future meals. Thanks to my acquaintence, Deb Taylor Hough, I'm prepared for freeze portions of dishes I make for later, my fridge top freezer has numerous interesting choices these days.

First I trimmed and cut the cauliflower into flowerets and put them in a bowl ready to go.

I peeled and cut up the potatoes and put them in a bowl covered with water.

I opened two cans of petite diced tomatoes and drained the juice. Sans the juice two cans offered up two cups of tomatoes, perfect for the recipe. It called for fresh tomatoes but the canned blend in nicely.

Into a small bowl went the turmeric, chili powder and water. I used a glass bowl as the turmeric will color any surface it gets a chance to. For this first attempt at this recipe, I decided to use the amounts of spices called for. With so many spices in many Indian recipes, changing amounts and even types of spices can be done easily, but I’m learning about the subtleties of blending spices and so don’t vary too much with newer recipes.

I removed the seed from the cardamom pods placing them into a small cup with the cumin seeds, cinnamon stick and cloves.

In another small bowl I mixed the cumin powder and coriander powder.

I then took a 2 inch piece of frozen ginger from the freezer (always on hand and easier to peel and grate when frozen). I peeled it with a potato peeler and grated it with the small side of my box grater, (I have a small ginger grater but it had disappeared for some reason.) It grated to about a teaspoon more than called for and I used it all. I set the ginger aside with the cauliflower, potatoes and spice bowls.

Heating 2 Tablespoons of cooking oil in my electric frying pan, I began to brown the cauliflower. I thought about my Mother and how interesting she would have thought of the idea of frying cauliflower, something she, nor I, had ever done. It began to brown nicely on the edges and the aroma was earthy and delicious. I kept turning the pieces for 8 minutes and then removed them to a bowl.

I heated 2 more Tablespoons of oil I put in my potato chunks. More frying and turning as the potatoes browned. It was a pleasant afternoon, music regressing me to earlier times, the frying and turning was fun. I really attended to each piece for 8 minutes and then removed my resulting lightly browned potato pieces to their own bowl.

I loved seeing all my ingredients sitting neatly, ready to go. Cooking most American dishes, I can’t remember ever attending to preparing ingredients ahead of time like this.

In my frying pan with lid ( I have a stainless steel Faberware electric model that I love), I heated 2 more tablespoons of oil over medium heat. I then added the cumin seeds, cinnamon, cloves and cardamom seeds, sautéing for 2 minutes.

Next went in the turmeric mixture and 30 seconds more of sautéing.

In went the rest of the spices, coriander, cumin powder and ginger (moving the spices around vigorously) for 30 seconds.

Then I tossed in the browned cauliflower and potato pieces coating them well with the spice mixture. I reduced the heat to medium-low and continued to sauté the vegetables. The recipe suggested a little water, 1 tbsp at a time, to prevent burning. I didn't have to add much water and cooked the vegetables until they were semi cooked, about 6 to 8 minutes.

Then, I stirred in the tomatoes, salt and sugar. I covered the pan and cooked it until all was blended, about 5 minutes.

I added 1 cup of water, covered and cooked until vegetables were soft and a little liquid gravy remained, about 8 to 10 minutes.

Serving up a portion, I drizzled a little melted butter over top this dish and was in heaven. I am so amazed what Indian cuisine does with vegetables. For the first time I can understand how people can be vegetarian. What a celebration for my lowly little head of cauliflower!

Amazing Cauliflower Curry
(Plan to freeze the extra or share with a friend or neighbor)

6 tbsp oil, divided
1 large head cauliflower, cut into 1-1/4 inch pieces
2 large or 3 med. Russet potatoes, cut into 1-1/2 inch pieces
1 tsp turmeric
1 tsp chili powder
1 tsp cumin seeds
2 1-inch pieces cinnamon stick
10 whole cloves
10 cardamom pods (seeds from the pods)
3 tsp coriander powder
1-1/2 tsp cumin powder
6 tsp ginger, fresh grated (or paste available in jars in produce sections)
2 14-1/2oz cans diced tomatoes (drain the juice off)
2 tsp salt
1 tsp sugar
Melted butter

(Natural food markets, like PCC in the Puget Sound area, often have all the spices needed in bulk. Smaller amounts stay fresher.)

Instructions:
In a skillet, heat 2 tbsp of the oil over medium heat. Add cauliflower and sauté, turning pieces to cook evenly, 6 to 8 minutes. Remove and set aside

In the same skillet, heat 2 tsp of oil over medium heat. Add potato and sauté, turning pieces to color evenly, 8 minutes. Remove and set aside.

In a small bowl, mix together turmeric and chili pepper. Stir in 6 tbsp water. Set aside.

In a small cup mix cumin seeds, cinnamon stick, cloves and cardamom seeds. Set aside.

In a second small cup mix coriander and cumin powder. Set aside.

Place the sugar and salt in a small dish.
Get the tomatoes ready to go, cutting into chunks if fresh.

Grate ginger and set aside

In a large frying pan with lid ( I used electric), heat remaining oil over medium heat. Add cumin seeds, cinnamon, cloves and cardamom seeds. Sauté for 2 minutes.

Add turmeric mixture and sauté for 30 seconds.

Add coriander, cumin powder and ginger and sauté vigorously for 30 seconds.

Add cauliflower and potatoes and mix well. Reduce heat to medium-low. continue sauté vegetables, adding water, 1 tbsp at a time, to prevent burning, until vegetables are semi cooked, 6 to 8 minutes.

Add tomatos, salt and sugar and mix well. Cover and cook until tomatoes are soft (if using fresh), about 5 minutes. Mash fresh tomatoes with back of spoon. (I drained most of the juice from two cans of petite diced tomatoes and used those tomatoes instead of fresh. It was perfect.)

Add 1 cup water. Cover and cook until vegetables are soft and a little liquid gravy remains, 8 to 10 minutes.


Drizzle melted butter or ghee over top. Serve hot with any Indian bread like fresh Nan.

The spices blend in this dish offering a complex and delicious taste without anyone spice overwhelming. Remembering the single vegetable side dishes of my youth, this dish takes vegetables to a sophisticated and interesting level.

(In the Seattle area Trader Joes has fresh Nan and a great frozen Garlic Nan you can keep I the freezer.)

Buttered Croissants, broiled lamb & a taste of India

Hot, buttered croissants with coffee have to be a top morning indulgence for me. I used to enjoy them only rarely as I had to go out amidst traffic and morning chill to get them, or remember them the night before and then they were day old. Trader Joe’s is now my hero. They sell packages of eight frozen mini croissants. You take some out the night before and let them “proof” on a baking sheet over night. Then you bake them till golden brown. They are perfectly flakey, and deliciously croissanty, if I may coin a word. I discovered them by reading through the Trader Joe’s crazy little opus that they publish regularly. It’s a store that has little gems of food items up and down the aisles. Sometimes, now, I take the time to browse more in Trader Joe’s. That’s how I found what’s now a kitchen staple, their Mango Ginger Chutney. It’s a great accompaniment to my Indian dishes and Hank loves it as a cooking sauce. He used it brilliantly last night over lamb chops. No, you won’t overtly taste the ginger, it’s just a delicious sweet sauce with some complexity.

His dinner was a definite winner. Broiled lamb chops with mango ginger chutney sauce, broiled giant scallops which benefited from the sauce, as well, mashed potatoes with butter and fresh asparagus. I’ve been spoiled this week as the night before we had liver slathered in onions along with mashed potatoes (thanks to a friend who recently fixed it and inspired us). We both love liver and onions but often don’t think to fix it. Hank went to three stores trying to find veal liver but had to settle for basic beef liver. It was good, though. He told the tale of asking for veal liver at the Metropolitan Market and getting an angry stare. They might want to inquire as to the politics of their meat salespeople. Vegetarians or PETA folks should be allowed to opt out.

Wednesday afternoon I was a little down and needed an Indian food fix, both the fun of preparing it and the interesting tastes. What did I have on hand…red potatoes, a head of cauliflower that needed to be used… I went to Google and typed in potatoes + cauliflower + Indian + recipe and came up with the following dish. I put it all through the ricer topped it with a little butter for an amazing taste not at all overtly spicy!

Cauliflower and Potato Curry

From: Lisa Corsetti http://www.ivu.org/recipes/indian-veg/cauliflower-and-j.html I buy most of my Indian Spices, like Garam Masala, at a local food cooperative (Puget Sound Consumer Cooperative in Seattle) that sells spices in bulk.

Ingredients:
4 Cups potatoes, peeled and quartered
1 small cauliflower, cut into florets
a pinch of asafetida (can be omitted)
3/4 tsp ground turmeric
1/2 tsp chilli powder
1 1/2 tsp ground cumin
3/4 tsp salt
big pinch of sugar
2 tomatoes, chopped (I used a can of diced tomatoes)

1 1/4 cups water
1/2 tsp garam masala

Instructions:

Add all ingredients to a crockpot and cook on low for approximately six hours. Mash together.
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Yam Curry an Amazing option for the traditional Thanksgiving candied yam dish

My hobby is cooking Indian cuisine. It's a country that does amazing things with vegetables. I feel like an alchemist creating Indian dishes. The aromas are so compelling, often, my neighbors saunter over to see what I'm cooking. I've made this Yam Curry twice. This year, it's going to be my alternative to the traditional Thansgiving sweet potatoes and I know it will be a hit. The spices blend together and when you take a bite it's subtly sweet, savory and addictive.

You can purchase Indian spices in bulk (small amounts) at many natural food stores. In Seattle, Puget Sound Consumer Coop stores have most of them. I keep a little of a lot of them in a separate Rubbermaid container on hand for my experiments. Many Indian dishes freeze very well.

Yam Curry
Yields: 6

Ingredients
1 pound sweet potatoes, or yams (I use 3 large yams)
1 teaspoon salt (to sweat the yams)
1 large onion, chopped coarsly (I use a sweet onion)
1 teaspoon salt
Vegetable oil to shallow fry potato chunks (can deep fry in 3" hot oil)
2 inches fresh ginger root, grated (or bottled chopped ginger or ginger paste)
3 garlic clove, chopped (or ready chopped garlic)
2-3 tablespoons vegetable oil (for frying onion, garlic, ginger, tomato mixture)
1 teaspoon whole cumin seeds
2 green cardamom seeds (seeds removed)
1 bay leaf (I omit)
4 whole peppercorns
2 inch cinnamon stick broken in half
1 teaspoon turmeric
1/2 teaspoon chili powder or use cayenne pepper
1 teaspoon ground coriander
Salt to taste
4 ounces tomatoes fresh (I used 1 large tomato or you can use 8 oz canned)
4 tablespoons plain yogurt or sour cream
1 1/2 cups water
1 tablespoon cilantro leaves chopped,  (for garnish)

Directions
(1) Place all the spices except cumin seeds in a smal dish ready to add.

(2) Peel the yams, cut them into 1 inch cubes, place in a colander and sprinkle liberally with 1 teaspoon salt. Let stand 10-15 minutes, then rinse and drain.

(3) While potato chunks are sweating, finely chop the onion, ginger, and garlic, and roughly chop the tomatoes.

(4) Heat the 2 to 3 Tablespoons vegetable oil over a moderate flame, add the cumin seed, and cook until they begin to sputter. Add the chopped onion, ginger, and garlic. Cook until the onion is a rich golden color.

(5) Add all the spices and season with salt to taste. Cook a few seconds more, and then add the tomatoes.
Let this cook while you continue as below.

(6) Heat oil for shallow frying the yams. Cook the yam cubes, a few at a time, until golden brown. Drain on absorbent kitchen paper. Pour out oil and set potatoes aside.(I removed the ginger onion garlic mixture and used the same frying pan to shallow fry the yamchunks in about 1/4 in oil.)

(7) Return the onion, garlic, ginger, tomato mixture to the frying pan, add the yogurt to the mixture, and continue to cook until the oil begins to separate out.

(8) Add the water and bring to a boil. Let boil a few minutes, then add the yam cubes, reduce heat, and simmer, covered, for about 25 minutes.

(9) Serve hot, garnished with the chopped coriander.

Traditionally served with chapatis and rice. I took it to my sister-in-laws as replacement for the traditional sweet potato/yams at Thanksgiving and it got raves. (If somebody "must" have marshmallows, dish up a serving and nuke it with a couple marshmallows on top.)