It has been almost a month now that I took a break from blogging. It would have made me feel really important if I could have given a reason like, "Oh I had been really busy of late..." or something equally fancy but lies only takes one that far...so behind my absence in the cyber space was something as petty as sheer laziness. I had the intent but the action wasn't forthcoming. What forced my comeback? The constant egging by the husband and the inspiration that the vegetable vendors' cart exudes in this season.
Though vegetables prices are sky rocketing these days, how can one ignore the freshness of the greens and the cartloads of cauliflowers by the side of the road. The cauliflowers, aka phulkopi, as it is called in bengali, is undoubtedly the star vegetable of the winters. I remember the yummy phulkopir singara (samosas with cauliflowers and potato stuffings) that my mother used to make during winters. Or the phulkopir dalna (cauliflower curry), which makes me feel so inadequate as a cook in comparison to my mother that I mostly avoid cooking it. Don't get me wrong, it is not about mother-daughter competition but I can never match the taste of her phulkopir dalna, so prefer not to tamper or tinker with better memories.
The abundance of cauliflower in the markets inspired me to experiment with new ideas and cook up something new. At the same time I wanted to try something simple yet unique, so the much inspired phulkopir raita. Afterall, it had to be my comeback recipe after a months hibernation! It can be served with rice or any Indian bread and is wonderfully refreshing and light on the palate.
What all is required
Cauliflower: about 500gms, cut into medium sized florets
Curd: 300 gms
Green chillies: 2, slit
Mustard seeds: 1/2 tsp
Curry leaves: 8 - 10
Onion: 1 large, chopped finely
Garlic: 3-4 cloves, chopped finely
Tomatoes: 2 large, chopped finely
Turmeric powder: 1/2 tsp
Cumin: 1/2 tsp, dry roasted and ground
Salt and sugar to taste
Mustard oil: 2 tbsp
How to make it:
Boil the cauliflower with the turmeric and salt. Drain and set aside.
Beat the curd smooth with salt and sugar.
Heat the oil in a wok. Add the green chillies, mustard seeds and curry leaves, splutter.
Add the finely sliced onion and garlic, saute till the onions are glossy. Add the chopped tomatoes, and saute till the tomatoes are soft.
Add the cauliflowers and mix well till the spices coat the florets. Adjust salt, put on a lid and cook for about 5 minutes.
Remove from fire, cool and add to the beaten curd. Sprinkle the freshly ground cumin powder.
No comments:
Post a Comment