This recipe from the kongunad region uses the simplest of the ingredients and spices. “Once you get a spice in your home, you have it forever. Women never throw out spices. The Egyptians were buried with their spices. I know which one I’m taking with me when I go.” This curry brings back memories every single time. My grand mother made this, my mom made this, my in laws made this, I make this and now you will make it too. This is a fantastic awesomatic south indian curry which goes so well with Idly, Dosa or Roti.
“Cauliflower is nothing but cabbage with a college education” – Mark Twain. Its an elegant, sophisticated, festive most sought after vegetable from the Victorian times. For this recipe, we need to cook the Cauliflower first. Boil the Cauliflower in water until its fork tender and set aside.
Now its masala time….Get your food processor out. You will need the following ingredients for “get away mascara, lets bring in the masala”
Heat oil in a pan and add in the cumin, roasted gram (pottu kadalai as called in tamil) and the dried red chilli. Let it roast for 15-20 seconds. Add in the curry leaves, onions and salt. Saute in medium flame for a good 7-8 minutes until the onions are slightly brown.
Once the onions are brown, dump all the other ingredients at once. Tomatoes, coconut, tamarind, turmeric and coriander powder. Saute in medium flame for a good 6-7 minutes until the tomatoes are cooked and juiced down. Remove off heat and let it cool slightly.
Grind the mixture to a very very smooth paste…Did you hear that???? I am sorry that I am bossy. We need a fine paste. OK. “Oui, Chef”. You can add some water, up to a cup while grinding.
Now its tempering time. Take a deep pan and heat a tablespoon of oil until hot. Add in the mustard seeds, cumin seeds and the curry leaves. Let it pop. Now add the ground masala paste. Add up to 2 cups water to thin the gravy. Let it simmer for a couple of minutes.
Add in the cooked Cauliflower and let it simmer for a couple of minutes more. Remove off heat.
Serve Hooooooottttt!!!!!
- 2 tablespoon peanut oil
- 2 tablespoon roasted gram dal (optional)
- 2 teaspoon cumin seed
- 2 dried red chilli
- 2 medium onions, roughly chopped
- 1 sprig curry leaves
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 3 tomatoes, roughly chopped
- Half a lime size tamarind
- 1 teaspoon turmeric
- 2 teaspoon coriander powder
- 1 cup fresh shredded coconut
- 1 tablespoon Peanut Oil
- ½ teaspoon mustard seeds
- ¼ teaspoon cumin seeds
- 1 sprig curry leaves
- 3 cups Cooked Cauliflower florets
- Boil the Cauliflower in water until its fork tender and set aside.
- Heat oil in a pan and add in the cumin, roasted gram (pottu kadalai as called in tamil) and the dried red chilli. Let it roast for 15-20 seconds. Add in the curry leaves, onions and salt. Saute in medium flame for a good 7-8 minutes until the onions are slightly brown.
- Once the onions are brown, dump all the other ingredients at once. Tomatoes, coconut, tamarind, turmeric and coriander powder. Saute in medium flame for a good 6-7 minutes until the tomatoes are cooked and juiced down. Remove off heat and let it cool slightly.
- Grind the mixture to a very very smooth paste.
- Take a deep pan and heat a tablespoon of oil until hot. Add in the mustard seeds, cumin seeds and the curry leaves. Let it pop. Now add the ground masala paste. Add upto 2 cups water to thin the gravy. Let it simmer for a couple of minutes.
- Add in the cooked Cauliflower and let it simmer for a couple of minutes more.
- Remove off heat.