Cauliflower Curry (Gobi Curry)

½ 2 Large russet potatoes, peeled and cut in to two inch pieces
1 Medium onion cut into small pieces
1 Large head cauliflower (Separate small flowers from the stem of the cauliflower, saving the middle part of the cauliflower about three inches diameter intact. Cut all the flower pieces to same size.)
1 Green bell pepper seeded and cut into one inch pieces
1 Red bell pepper seeded and cut into one inch pieces
1 Long green chili chopped
1 One-inch piece of fresh ginger, chopped
2 Dry or fresh bay leaves

2 Tablespoons tomato paste
4 Tablespoons or more oil
1 Teaspoon salt or to taste
1 Cup frozen peas
4 1/2 cups water separated

Mix all the following spices in a small dish:

1 Teaspoon coriander (dhania) powder
1 Teaspoon curry powder
½Tteaspoon paprika (optional)
½ Teaspoon fresh ground black pepper
½ Teaspoon mango powder (amchoor)
¼ Teaspoon ground cumin (jeera)
¼ Teaspoon ground cardamom (ilachi)
A pinch of ground cinnamon (dalchina)
A pinch of ground cloves (lavang)
¼ Teaspoon ground turmeric (haldi)

Do ahead: In a small saucepan boil 3 cups of water with ½ a teaspoon of salt. Add the three-inch diameter cauliflower piece, and cook for 2 minutes. Remove the pan from the heat but keep the cauliflower in the water. Just before assembling remove the cauliflower from the water and shake any access water off. Do the same with ½ cup water and one cup frozen peas.

Preparing the curry:

Heat the oil in a large wok or sauce pan, add potatoes and fry for five minutes or until light brown on medium high heat. Add onions and fry for three minutes. Add green chili, ginger and bay leaves and fry for a minute. Add spices mixture, fry for 30 seconds. Add tomato paste and fry for 30 seconds. Now add all the vegetables, except the saved three-inch cauliflower piece, and salt mixing continuously for three minutes or until all the spices are incorporated in to the vegetables. But make sure the spices are not sticking to the bottom of the pan. Pour the remaining cup of water, mix thoroughly and cover. Reduce the heat, mix slowly once in a while with a wooden spoon to keep the vegetables in shape. Remove the cover as soon as the vegetables are cooked and continue to cook until the water is absorbed. Keep the curry aside.

Assembling the dish:
In a large platter arrange the curry around the platter with red and green pepper pieces showing their color, leaving room in the middle to fit the three-inch cauliflower piece. Sprinkle the drained peas around. With clean hands place the central cauliflower part in the middle like in the picture. Trim the stem if necessary.

Variation: cut a small red onion in to rings and top the curry with rings.

Note: This is a very colorful dish and even people who don’t like cauliflower will be tempted. If the curry is too sour to your taste, you can add little brown sugar.
 

Mung Dal (Skin Less) Paysam

3 1/2 Cup Mung dal
¼ Cup Saggu biyyam (sabu dana)
1 Tablespoon gasagasalu (poppy seeds)
½ Cup water
2 Tablespoons broken cashew pieces
1 Tablespoon sweet golden raisins
½ Cup broken thin semya (vermicelli)
4 1/2 Cups milk
¾ Cups sugar or to taste
3 Teaspoons ghee separate
½ Teaspoon fresh-ground cardamom seeds (ilachi)

Add gasagasalu into a medium saucepan at low heat and fry until they produce light aroma in a dry pan. Transfer the seeds in to a small dish and soak them in ½ cup water for half an hour. 1n the same sauce pan heat one-teaspoon ghee and fry cashews and raisins in low heat until cashews are light brown and raisins are plump. Remove the pan from the heat. Add semya and fry. Transfer this mixture in to a plate and set aside.

Clean the saucepan with a paper towel. Add 2 teaspoons ghee and mung dal and fry in low heat until mung dal becomes light brown. Add saggu biyyam and fry for 30 seconds. Add 4 1/2 cups milk and cook until saggu biyyam and mung dal are cooked, mixing often. Add sugar, gasagasalu with water (which they are soaked in), cashews, raisins, semya, and cardamom powder and cook for 3 minutes. Sugar can be added at this time if needed.

HAPPY UGADI!

 

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