Dal and Cauliflower Bhartha - Summer 2009!

What makes Summer 2009 different, I honestly am not sure and yet it is different. Possibly because I have actually learnt to appreciate little things through my children's eyes - I do hope that I do not ever lose that perspective.

Small things make a big difference in their worlds, they are also content most days! For example, the highlight of Aadi's world today was to see me use a new pair of cat clippers on Benji! Anshul has been happy with the garden project, I am so happy to finally have more tomatoes than I can use, even if this is transient it is not a mean feat in our household, we are practically addicted to tomatoes!

Well, I have also learnt to love blueberries! For some reason, I restricted my summer berry love to just raspberries and strawberries, thus far!

The other night, I made this very simple bhartha, where I actually substituted cauliflower for potatoes. I was curious to see how this would turn out and in the process realized how important mustard oil is too me. No, I do not use it everyday or for every meal, but I guess when I need it it is an essential. I do not really even have pictures to post of this

A bharta is a puree, usually of eggplant or potatoes. This particular variety is the bengali variety, which does include lentils and usually is made with starchy vegetables like sweet potatoes, pumpkin, taro and of course potatoes. I made this with red lentils (masuur dal) and cauliflower and loved it!

Kofi and mushur daler bhorta - Dal and Cauliflower Puree

Serves 2-3

Ingredients

2/3 cup of red lentils

1 small potato, peeled and cut into quarters

1/2 a head of medium cauliflower

1 clove of garlic

1 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon turmeric

1 tomato, quartered

1-2 tablespoons mustard oil

1/2 red onion, very finely diced

2 green chillies, finely chopped

2 tablespoon chopped cilantro

Method of Preparation

1. Place the lentils, potato, cauliflower, garlic, salt, turmeric and tomato in a pressure cooker. Add 1/3 cup of water.

2. Bring the pressure cooker to full pressure and cook for 3 minutes. Cool naturally and remove the pressure.

3. What you should see is a well steamed caulflower with spices clinging to it, a wilted tomato and soft flaky lentils that are fairly dry.

4. With a firm hand and a wooden spoon, mix the vegetables and lentils into a smooth puree.

5. Mix in the other ingredients and enjoy as a side dish or even a dip or spread.

5-Spice Cauliflower

Another weeknight wonder, this dish needs a little time to bring out its flavors and cook through but another close to nature homestyle dish.
Tastes great with any kind of Indian bread, nice parathas would hit the spot but it also tastes good with rice and dal.

5-Spice Cauliflower

Serves 4

Ingredients

2-3 tbsp mustard oil
1/2 tsp nigella seeds (kalonji)
2 tsp grated ginger
1/2 tsp turmeric
2-3 whole green chillies, slit
A pinch of asafetida (hing)
1 head of cauliflower, cut into florretts
1.5 tsp salt

Method of Preparation
1. Heat the oil and add the nigella seeds and ginger.
2. After a few seconds, wait for the seeds to sizzle.
3. Add the turmeric, green chillli, asafetida and the cauliflower and salt.
4. Cook on medium heat, stirring frequently till the cauliflower is well browned in spots.
5. Cover and cook on low heat for 10 minutes till the cauliflower is soft. Serve immediately!

Gobi Moomphali - Cauliflower with peanuts

There are few things that work better for a quick weeknight dish than a classic simple dry vegetable dish infused with the basic goodness of a few staple spices. The peanuts in the recipe are an inspiration to get my daughter to eat.

So here you have it, Gobi Moomphali

Serves 4-6

Ingredients

2 tbsp oil

1/2 tsp mustard seeds

1/2 tsp cumin seeds

1/8 tsp asafetida

2-3 dried red chillies

1/2 tsp turmeric

1 cauliflower cut into floretts

1 tsp salt

1/2 cut peanuts roasted

Method of preparation

1. Heat the oil, and add the mustard and cumin seeds, when they crackle add in the asafetida, chillies turmeric and cauliflower.

2. Cook on medium heat turning frequently till the cauliflower begins to brown lightly.

3. Add the salt and peanuts and cover for 10 minutes and cook on low.

4. Check seasonings and serve.

Cauliflower with Crab and Balsamic Vinegar

This one is from food and wine magazine. One of the few magazines that I subscribe to. (what a not-surprise, since I love both food and wine). The subscription actually was an add-on to a freebee trial subscription. I don't know about others but I am really bad about accepting those freebee trial offers and then not canceling them. Well, I have been ripped off, several times and been stuck with unwanted materials that I do not know what to do with. Other times (like the stupid almost free newpaper in my driveway it is more painful to really deal with the offer, since I never have time to read the newspaper and spend all the time reclycing it!) it is not worth it, but what I am trying to say is that I like this magazine.
The past issue had an interesting cauliflower and scallops recipe. Well, I loved the idea and since I always have cauliflower and balsamic vinegar in my house, that was hardly the problem, it was scallops. I love scallops but I use it less than shrimps. In this particular case I had some fake crab, available. I felt, this had the sweetness that the scallops would have and makes somewhat of a substitute in a pinch. In this recipe, which was inspired by the mentioned magazine but reinvented to the following in my kitchen, the substitution works I think.

Balsamic Cauliflower with Crab

Ingredients
2 tbsp olive oil
1 tsp cumin seeds
1 pkgs fake crab (16 oz)
1/2 head cauliflower
1 inch piece ginger
2 green chilies (yes the last two ingredients are where I take over the recipe!)
1/3 cup balsamic vinegar.

Method of Preparation

1. Heat the oil and sizzle the cumin and add the fake crab (if you were using scallops you were supposed to pan sear them.).
2. In the meantime, pulse the cauliflower, ginger, chilies, in a food processor to a coarse pulse.
3. Add this to the crab mixture and cook stirring well for 15 minutes till the cauliflower starts begining to have brown spots.
4. Add in the balsamic vinegar (I found this white balsamic vinegar in my local grocery that I am excited about since it has the flavor but not the dark color that may not be that great for recipes like this).
5. Cook for 10 minutes and eat hot.

Ok, what can I say about cauliflower, something that I actually love and don't care about its nutritious value. Well, if I read the linked article it helps prevents cancer and has a reasonble share of vitamins so it seems to be a good thing to like. Cauliflower is my contribution for this weeks WHB hosted by Becky of Key Lime and Coconut.