Cauliflower masala curry/Phula Kobi aloo Tarkari
Some things remain fresh in our memories forever,specially the sight and smell of fragrant, spicy, desi curries …a trip down memory lane.A wave of nostalgia swept over me as I scurried around the house doing everyday errands while the aroma of cauliflower potato curry on the stove, simmering away to glory wafted in the house.
Nostalgia is such a cozy feeling, so I try to revisit my food memories by cooking my Aai’ s( maternal grandmother) signature dishes.None of my curries are as good as hers,I lack the patience with which she kept on sautéing the masala till the raw smell would go away and the masala would look a beautiful dark red colour .The love and fondness with which she cooked each and every dish made it more tasty and appealing.Miss her presence around me and this is how I ward off the empty feeling..by cooking dishes in her style..those smells take me back to her kitchen where I would keep on jabbering to her non stop as she whipped up fragrant, mouthwatering array of dishes.
Food is an indispensable part of our Odia culture. Odias are fond of eating and can spend the whole day in the kitchen cooking. And my Aai was one of those who would be in the kitchen whole day dishing out authentic, delectable creations with her love and warmth.
This Phula Kobi Aloo Jhola is her style and recipe though she always used masalas fresh, roasted and ground that moment and that made her curries more aromatic in comparison to our off the shelves masalas. Could not learn her garam masala recipe when she was with us …so my curries do lack her signature touch.
In this curry the cauliflower and potato is pan fried in mustard oil till half cooked and then added to the cooked masalas.In this curry hot water is added for the gravy. The other alternative which is called a Phula Kobi Aloo Kasaa is cooked without the addition of water and cook the veggies with the masalas and they are a great combo with Puris and Parathas.
- 01 medium cauliflower cut into medium florets
- 02 medium potatoes cubed according to the size of the florets.
- 02 medium Onions grated or pureed or chopped fine.
- 1 tbsp ginger garlic paste
- 02 tomatoes chopped
- 02 green chillies chopped or slit
- 3 - 4 cardamoms green
- 2 inchs cinnamon
- 3 - 4 cloves
- 1 - 2 bay leaves
- 01 tsp cumin seeds
- 1/2 tsp turmeric powder
- 2 - 3 tbsps mustard oil
- 1 tsp garam masala powder
- 1/2 tsp cinnamon powder
- 1/2 tsp sugar
- 1 C water hot
- coriander leaves to garnish
- salt to taste
- Heat 2 tbsp oil in a wok till smoking point ,then add the cauliflower florets and cubed potatoes,pan fry till little brown spots appear on them and they are half cooked and keep aside.
- In the same wok heat the mustard oil the same way,add sugar,add cumin seeds ,bay leaves and the spices or khada garam masalas,add the onion when the spices start spluttering.
- Add the ginger garlic paste and the chillies when the onions are light brown and keep on frying till the raw smell goes off ,add the turmeric powder and the tomatoes and sautxe9 till the masala starts leaving the sides.
- Now add the half cooked veggies and cook for 5 more minutes,stirring in between.
- Add the hot water and salt and cover the curry and let it simmer in medium flame for 7-10 minutes.
- Check the veggies ,if it's cooked to satisfaction then sprinkle the garam masala and cinnamon powder,give one good boil and switch off the flame.
- Garnish with coriander leaves and enjoy with hot steaming rice and dal.
Hello there, I found your site by means of Google at the same time as searching for a related matter, your web site came up, it seems great. I’ve bookmarked it in my google bookmarks.
aaaaaaaiiiiooooeeeecccvtttu