Cauliflower & Peas With Mint,Ginger & Yogurt

It is always a pleasure to cook meals with poignant memories.Memories which make you plunge into years when you saw curries being simmered on low heat and flat breads fluffing up on stove top.For me,recipe books do not matter, what I saw with eyes and sniffed with nostrils sitting on the kitchen counter while mom cooked does.The recollection of all those treasured times makes the experience of cooking and eating food all the more satisfying.Those times, feelings and food are so fresh knit in my heart even a decade after.

Mom would have not passed me a single page of written recipes but she has transmitted me the art of accurately eyeballing spices,supposition of when heat settings on stove need to be varied and a very important skill to make delicious food-that of tasting while cooking.Sitting on the kitchen counter, I saw that she kept a set of 4-5 disposable spoons by the side of counter.She never rushed.She didnt start tasting as soon as she tipped ingredients into the pot.I think she had a sort of counter in her mind which kept track of each pot on the stove.She knew when the contents would have developed enough flavors to taste them and can be adjusted.I picked this habit from her.I also tend to taste food while cooking. It makes a lot of difference and lessens surprises at the end.Do you taste as you cook?

In those times, vegetables like cauliflower and pea pods were not available round the year.The concept of frozen vegetables hit the indian produce scenario quite late.There was something new about the taste of winter or summer vegetables when they appeared in the market.We used to have those sunday or monday bazaars, sort of weekly farmer’s markets when mom used to go and pick up her weekly quota.She used to come back, segregate the vegetables in order of cooking them during the week, wash each leaf or piece, wiped them individually with cloth and store them.I m sure if she ll see the way I store my veggies,she will be disappointed.

Cauliflower is one vegetable I can’t imagine eating without spices.It is a staple in my house.I have this undying desire to make it in a different spice blend everytime.This time around the inspiration were the ingredients of the popular indian condiment,green chutney.You can see my recipe here.This is a flavorful cauliflower & peas preparation with yogurt, mint and fresh chillies.You can make this dry curry with potatoes also.Cauliflower is a vegetable which slows your metabolism so I always add an indian spice called ajwain/carom seeds which are a digestive aid.Be a little careful when using these seeds, a little go a long way.For me, cauliflower curry is incomplete without ginger, it lends so much flavor.The result was wonderful dry curry with loads of fresh flavors.You can serve it with flatbreads, insert inside pita pockets or even spread it on a pizza base with cheese on top.Leftovers taste great.I always end up serving red lentils & steamed basmati rice whenever I make cauliflower curry.Thats how we enjoyed it this time around too.Below is the recipe.

Ingredients: {Serves 2-3 }

1 medium cauliflower cut into florets [about 1 1/2 cups]
1/2 cup frozen/fresh peas
1/4 cup plain greek yogurt
7-8 fresh mint leaves
2 fresh chillies [you can use thai/jalapeno or any other variety you like and adjust the quantity as per taste]
3 tbsp oil [use mustard/canola /olive]
2 tsp cumin seeds
1/4 tsp carom seeds [ajwain]
1 tbsp ginger julians
1/2 tsp turmeric
1/2 tsp garam masala
1/2 tsp amchoor [dry mango powder] {substitute with fresh lime juice}
salt to taste

Method:

Cut and discard the stems of cauliflower and thoroughly wash it.Pat dry and cut into florets.Thaw the peas if using frozen.
Tip in yogurt, mint leaves and chilli into your blender and make a smooth paste.You may add few tablespoons of water while blending if needed.Set aside
In a heavy bottomed khadai/wok/pot with a lid tip in the oil on high heat.Let the oil heat up till you see ripples on the surface.Note:In case of using mustard oil,you will have to heat the oil till it starts smoking slightly.
Once oil is heated up,reduce the heat to medium, wait for 1 minute and temper the oil with cumin and ajwain[carom] seeds.As they start to crackle,add the ginger julians and saute on medium heat for 2 minutes.
Next add the turmeric powder along with yogurt-mint paste and saute on medium heat for about 5 minutes with continuous stirring.
Add the cauliflower florets along with salt and increase the heat to high.Stir, till all the florets are covered with the spices.About 3 minutes.



Reduce the heat to low and cover the pot with lid.Let the cauliflower cook in its own juices till it becomes just tender and not mushy.Note: The cooking time will depend on the size of florets.Adjust time accordingly.For the floret size you see in pictures,it took me about 12-15 minutes on low heat. Another thing to note is that sometimes the cauliflower variety is dry so it wont release enough juices to cook it up.You will need to add water in that case.Start with few tablespoons of water at first and add more if needed later.
Once the florets are tender,add the peas,cover again and let cook for 5 minutes on low heat.Again if you like a bite to your peas,reduce the cooking time.
Once the peas are soft, increase the heat to high, add the garam masala and amchoor[dry mango powder] and saute the curry for 3-4 minutes.
Remove from heat and serve warm.