Soothing Tender Cauliflowers in red tomato gravy

Sometimes you wonder how else to use the same old veggies every week. A slight twist adds that dimension of freshness to food and adds up to variety to probably a mundane menu.

Cauliflowers taste great when cooked the right way.

For this recipe, cut cauliflowers to medium forest tree shaped pieces. Not too tiny.

Cook them in boiling water for a minute and transfer to a bowl of ice cold water for five minutes. Drain them dry. Marinate these with some turmeric and black pepper.

In a pan,add one tbsp refined sunflower or groundnut oil. Add pinch of cumin seeds. Add one tsp of grated ginger and let it cook for half a minute.

For 250 gms of cauliflowers, use fresh puree of 4 tomatoes.

Add the puree now and let it simmer with pinch of turmeric, generous amount of coriander leaves, two tbsp chopped green chilly, half tsp red chilly powder, salt. Once the puree starts oozing the oil, add a cup of warm water to it and simmer slowly. Add pinch of sugar.

In a deep frying pan, add enough oil and deep fry the cut cauliflowers pieces gently till slightly golden brown. Add these to the puree and cook for another one minute.

The gravy is ready  to be had with flat breads or steamed rice.

image source: google | healthyfoodforliving.com

 

Poppy seeds paste with raw mustard oil & steamed moist rice

 

Monsoon & hot cuppa rice!

Poppy seeds raw paste, drizzled with mustard oil, green chillies, hint of salt, with steaming hot rice! 

Monsoons are here and what better than a hot plate of steamed rice with my favourite Poshto !

Here you need to grind the poppy seeds (khuskhus) to a coarse paste. Traditionally the same is done in a stone mortar and pestle to get that perfect texture.

However the trick for today’s generation is to soak the poppy seeds in some water overnight and then grind it in the food processor.

Poppy seeds are popular in West Bengal as recipes of aloo poshto or “potato & poppy seeds dish”… and many others.. Poppy seeds pastes add great taste to traditional aloo dum recipes as well.

Now to this paste of say one small bowl, which I like un-cooked… add mustard oil (about 2 to 3 tbs), finely chopped or slightly grinded green chillies, salt (half tsp), and two drops of lemon juice.

Ah, heavenly!

 

Enjoy it just like that with Hot plate of steamed rice. Let the rice be cooked all moist…

 

Note: The images have been sourced from google images and pinterest…